Oren Michels is the founder and CEO of Barndoor.ai, the first and only Control Plane for the agentic enterprise. Previously, he co-founded Mashery in 2006 and served as CEO until Intel acquired the company in 2013. When it was acquired, Mashery-powered APIs were used by over 350,000 active developers in over 100,000 active applications, and counted among its customers many of the largest e-commerce, media, and data companies in the world. He is an entrepreneur, investor, board member, and advisor to technology startups in the US and Europe and has made angel investments in several successful companies including Uber, Pebble Post, Addy, Navdy, and eero.

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> Here’s a glimpse of what you would learn…. 

• Rapid evolution of AI agents in e-commerce and business operations.
• Definition and functionality of AI agents that perform actions on behalf of users.
• Importance of governance and trust in deploying AI agents to prevent errors and misuse.
• Introduction of Barndoor AI and its role in providing connectivity and governance for AI agents.
• Practical use cases of AI agents in managing tasks across various platforms (e.g., Shopify, JIRA, QuickBooks).
• The necessity of setting strict policies to control AI actions and ensure safety.
• Integration of AI tools with existing software systems and the potential for low-code/no-code solutions.
• The significance of problem-solving and process design skills in effectively utilizing AI agents.
• Recommendations for starting small with AI and learning through practical application.
• Continuous evolution of AI tools and the importance of staying informed and adaptable.

In this episode of the Ecomm Breakthrough podcast, host Josh Hadley speaks with Oren Michels, founder and CEO of Barndoor AI, about the growing role of AI agents in business operations. Oren explains how AI agents can autonomously perform tasks within systems like Shopify, Amazon, and Slack, while emphasizing the critical need for governance and trust. He introduces Barndoor AI as a control plane that enables secure connectivity and policy-based guardrails, preventing unintended actions. Practical use cases include email management, JIRA ticket handling, and financial forecasting. Oren advises listeners to start small, experiment with multiple AI tools, and develop strong problem-solving skills.

Here are the 3 action items that Josh identified from this episode:

1. Start with low-risk automation
   Deploy AI agents on simple, non-critical workflows first (e.g., email summaries, reporting) to test value and build internal trust before scaling. 
2. Enforce strict governance from day one
   Define clear permissions, rules, and guardrails—never give blanket access. Every AI action should be controlled, logged, and auditable. 
3. Design processes before deploying AI
   Break workflows into clear steps and craft precise prompts. Strong process design + prompt clarity = better, safer AI performance.

Timestamps:

00:00:00 The Problem of AI Governance
Oren discusses lack of governance in current AI systems and the risks of AI agents forgetting instructions.

00:00:30 Podcast Introduction & Guest Background
Podcast is introduced, and Oren Michels’ background and achievements are highlighted.

00:00:44 The Rise of AI Agents in E-commerce
Josh frames the future of e-commerce as dominated by AI agents and introduces Oren as the guest.

00:02:06 Oren’s Perspective on AI Agent Adoption
Oren explains the rapid and slow pace of AI agent adoption, especially beyond coding tasks.

00:03:02 What is Barndoor AI?
Oren introduces Barndoor AI, focusing on connectivity and trust for AI agents in business systems.

00:03:40 How Barndoor AI Works
Details on how Barndoor AI enables granular control and governance over AI agent actions.

00:05:45 Security and Guardrails for AI Agents
Discussion on security risks, both from bad actors and unintended consequences by legitimate users.

00:06:33 Difference Between Barndoor and Other AI Tools
Oren explains how Barndoor adds governance missing from tools like OpenClaw and Claude.

00:09:24 Use Case: Email Management with AI Agents
Oren shares how he uses AI agents to manage and triage his daily email load efficiently.

00:12:04 Why Governance Matters in AI Actions
Explains the importance of restricting AI actions to prevent mistakes, especially in sensitive tasks.

00:13:00 Custom Rules and Granular Policies
Barndoor allows highly specific rules for AI actions, such as price-based restrictions in e-commerce.

00:13:58 Use Case: JIRA and Finance Automation
Examples of using AI agents for JIRA ticket management and automated financial reporting via Slack.

00:16:48 Enterprise Use Cases & E-commerce Optimization
Barndoor’s enterprise clients use AI for handling sensitive data and optimizing Amazon listings seasonally.

00:19:08 Customer Service and Contextual Communication
AI agents help draft personalized emails by pulling context from Salesforce and previous communications.

00:20:40 AI Agent Adoption is Still Early
Oren emphasizes that AI agent use is in its infancy and encourages experimentation in low-risk areas.

00:22:40 Personal Use Cases for AI Agents
Josh and Oren discuss personal productivity applications, like sports team management and scheduling.

00:24:14 The Evolving AI Tool Landscape
Discussion on the rapid evolution of AI tools, the importance of using multiple models, and specialization.

00:27:47 Future of AI in Business Operations
Speculation on the future: specialized AI tools for each business function, governed by platforms like Barndoor.

00:31:00 The Importance of Problem-Solving and Prompt Engineering
Success with AI depends on defining problems and giving clear instructions, akin to prompt engineering.

00:33:46 Actionable Takeaways for Listeners
Josh summarizes three action items: start experimenting, document processes, and stay flexible with tools.

00:36:44 Book Recommendation: Why Computers Think
Oren recommends a book that explains the probabilistic nature of AI and why it sometimes fails.

00:37:34 Favorite AI Tool and Personal Use
Oren shares his favorite AI tools and how he uses them for both work and personal learning.

00:38:49 Who to Follow: Aaron Levie
Oren recommends following Aaron Levie for insightful commentary on AI and business.

00:39:28 Where to Learn More About Barndoor AI
Oren directs listeners to Barndoor AI’s website and their personal product, Zenni, for hands-on experience.

00:39:45 Podcast Wrap-Up
Podcast concludes with thanks and a call to subscribe and leave a review.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Josh Hadley on LinkedIn
• eComm Breakthrough Consulting
• eComm Breakthrough Podcast
• Email Josh Hadley: [email protected]

Tools and Websites
"OpenClaw": "00:00:00"
"Barndoor AI": "00:03:14"
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