Most AI startup founders are chasing autonomy too early and that’s a mistake. AI agents today are not reliable enough to replace full workflows. Systems that look impressive in demos often break in real-world conditions due to reasoning gaps, context loss, and edge cases. The startups that succeed take a different approach: They don’t try to automate everything. They focus on high-value, narrow workflows, keep humans in the loop, and expand autonomy gradually. The real competitive advantage i...