As a Chinese product manager, I have developed 6 AI assistants on OpenClaw to enhance my efficiency. The workload has increased significantly, leading to heightened fatigue.
A Chinese AI product manager shared with Business Insider how she harnessed 6 AI assistants to boost her work output. Vivi Mengjie Xiao described a surge in productivity accompanied by increased exhaustion.
Xiao also discussed her vision of a potential shift in the workplace towards independent entities. She highlighted the emergence of solo enterprises as a possible future scenario.
In my role as an AI product manager in China, my CEO tasked me with exploring innovative applications of AI beyond cost reduction earlier this year. Outside of work, I engage in content creation on RedNote, where I share insights and tools related to AI with a substantial following.
I used to spend approximately four hours daily curating industry news on AI from various sources and translating content from English to Chinese. Reflecting on this routine, I pondered the idea of automation. If AI could handle information-gathering tasks, what other functions could it perform? Any repetitive task should ideally be automated.
Each AI assistant was developed to address specific challenges I encountered. These 6 assistants are divided between professional and personal responsibilities.
Initially, I deployed a single “lobster” (a term coined by Chinese internet users for an OpenClaw agent) to manage multiple tasks such as scheduling, organising my calendar, and enhancing focus. However, consolidating these tasks led to confusion and inefficiency rather than improved concentration.
Realising the limitations of assigning all responsibilities to one agent, I distributed tasks among different lobsters for improved effectiveness. Over time, the AI assistants naturally specialised in distinct roles within personal and professional spheres.
My professional AI team includes an administrative assistant, a researcher, and a chief of staff who emulates my superior’s communication style for presentation practice. For personal tasks, I rely on a life coach, a content assistant, and a finance aide.
The combined capabilities of these assistants have exceeded my expectations. The life coach assistant integrates insights from other agents and assists with daily journaling tasks, automating a significant portion of this process.
Approximately 60-70% of my daily workload is managed by these AI agents, encompassing research, information gathering, and content dissemination. Although my work capacity has increased substantially, my working hours remain extensive as I transition towards more strategic and creative endeavours.
The evolution brought about by AI has redefined the concept of work efficiency without reducing workload intensity but rather encouraging further output attempts.
The ongoing transformation in the workforce landscape is indicative of a transition towards “one-person studios”, where individuals leverage AI to achieve team-level productivity. This shift underscores the significance of qualities such as discernment, managerial skills concerning AI usage, and emotional intelligence over mere execution capabilities.
The essence lies in enhancing human potential through automation rather than replacing it entirely. The core aspects that define meaningful work—creativity, judgement, and connection-building—are intrinsic human qualities that remain indispensable amidst technological advancements.
Developing a team comprising 6 AI agents parallels the transition from solo freelancing to managing a small enterprise where efficiency is maintained round-the-clock without human constraints or complaints—all at the expense of API subscriptions.
This experience has honed my critical thinking skills, communication abilities, and creative aspirations significantly. My decision-making process now involves assessing which agent is best suited for each task at hand—a testament to how AI has broadened my perceptions of individual capabilities.