TLDR: Wellington entrepreneur J.D. Trask, known for his global software success Raygun, has launched AutoHive, a new platform designed to democratize AI automation for all New Zealand businesses. AutoHive enables companies, regardless of size or technical expertise, to easily build and deploy AI agents for automating repetitive tasks, with Trask asserting its potential impact could surpass that of the internet.
J.D. Trask, the visionary Wellington-based entrepreneur behind the globally successful software company Raygun, has unveiled his latest venture, AutoHive, a platform poised to integrate AI agents into every New Zealand business. Trask believes this new endeavor holds the potential for an impact even greater than that of the internet itself.
Raygun, Trask’s established company, operates largely under the radar in New Zealand, providing critical error and performance monitoring for software used by major international entities like Domino’s Pizza and HBO, with 93% of its revenue derived from exports. The surge of generative AI in 2023 ignited Trask’s conviction that a profound transformation in business productivity was imminent. He recalls an ‘electrifying moment’ where he realized, ‘I cannot put down thinking about this, this is going to be a bigger revolution than the internet.’
Following an intensive week-long deep dive into AI with his Raygun team, Trask identified a significant barrier: while AI agents could dramatically automate repetitive work and enhance decision-making, their creation typically required a specialized team of software engineers. ‘The key learning I sort of had was like, these [AI agents] are amazing. They have improved our business. They have allowed us to make better decisions. This is great. But they’re also really hard to build,’ Trask stated. He recognized that for AI to be ubiquitous in every business, this complexity needed to be eliminated.
AutoHive was born from this insight, embodying a vision of ‘AI for everyone.’ The platform is designed to empower a wide range of professionals, from accountants to florists, to construct their own AI agents. These agents can handle mundane yet time-consuming tasks such as invoicing, customer care, or summarizing daily business activities. Trask draws a parallel between today’s AI chatbots and the nascent stages of email, suggesting that while useful, they merely scratch the surface of AI’s true capabilities. He argues that the real value lies in ‘agentic systems’ – AI agents capable of utilizing tools, interacting with existing business systems like Xero or HubSpot, and automating intricate workflows. Trask poses a provocative question: ‘Why can’t a 50-person company now operate at the same quality bar as Apple?’
AutoHive operates as a no-code platform, allowing users to simply prompt it to create the necessary agents and connect relevant data sources. A significant upcoming feature is the AutoHive marketplace, which will enable users to share or even monetize the AI agents they develop. Trask explained, ‘If you build the best podcasting assistant agent, you could make that available. We also are going to have the ability for people to monetise that.’
Also Read:
- Streamlining AI Workflows: String Platform Enables Rapid Agent Creation with Natural Language Prompts
- New Zealand Unveils Inaugural National AI Strategy: ‘Investing with Confidence’
While acknowledging the broader implications AI may have for the workforce, Trask emphasizes the immediate opportunity to automate away ‘time-consuming and mundane tasks tying up time and attention.’ AutoHive offers a free trial with $10 of credits for new users, followed by a flat monthly fee of $80 for companies, irrespective of their headcount. ‘If you’ve got a company of 100 people, pay 80 bucks and put them in there,’ he noted, underscoring the platform’s accessibility and cost-effectiveness for businesses of all sizes.
