What to Look for When Evaluating an AI Agent

Introduction

Not all AI agents deliver what they promise. As enterprise AI adoption accelerates, the market has filled with agents that range from genuinely transformative to barely functional. This checklist-driven guide helps you cut through the noise and evaluate any AI agent on AgentPlays with confidence.

Criterion 1 — Capabilities Match

Does the agent actually do what you need? Read the full capabilities list and map each item to your specific use case. If 80% or more of your requirements are covered, it is worth pursuing. Below 60%, keep looking.

Criterion 2 — Demo Quality

Always click the demo link. A strong agent has a working, responsive demo that lets you interact with it directly. Watch out for: pre-recorded videos only (no live demo), demos that require signing up before you can test anything, or demos that bear little resemblance to the actual product description.

Criterion 3 — Pricing Transparency

Pricing should be clearly stated on the AgentPlays listing — even if the final number requires a custom quote. "Enterprise pricing" with no ranges at all is a warning sign. The best publishers give you enough information to know if you are in the right budget ballpark before you reach out.

Criterion 4 — Publisher Credibility

• Is the organization status "Approved" on AgentPlays?
• Is there a real contact person, email, and phone number listed?
• Does the publisher's website look active and professional?
• How quickly do they respond to interest requests?

Questions to Ask in Your First Call

• What does a typical deployment look like for a company our size?
• How long does onboarding take from signed contract to live deployment?
• What integrations are supported out of the box?
• What is your SLA for support tickets?
• Can we start with a pilot before a full commitment?