How to Run an AI Agent Pilot That Actually Reaches Production

AI agent pilots reach production when scoped around one business metric, utilizing real data with a fixed stop date and documented run logs. Many pilots stall not due to model failure, but because success criteria were not defined before impressive demos. Reliability remains critical, as errors like typos in support tickets can lead to incorrect account updates. To avoid stagnation, buyers must establish what constitutes completion to ensure agents transition from evaluation to operational use.