Gusto and Insight Partners tackle AI agents at Disrupt

At the upcoming TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 conference, scheduled for October 13–15 at Moscone West in San Francisco, a panel titled Hiring When AI Is a Co-Founder will explore the shifting dynamics of early-stage startup teams. The session on the Builders Stage features Josh Reeves, co-founder and CEO of Gusto; Michelle Johnson, senior vice president at Insight Partners; and John Koelliker, co-founder and CEO of Leland. They will address how modern founders can integrate autonomous AI agents into their workflows without compromising organizational speed, accountability, or company culture.

Each panelist brings a distinct perspective on how automation is reshaping the workforce. Reeves leads Gusto, an HR and payroll platform that serves more than 500,000 companies, giving him a broad view of how small businesses navigate hiring decisions. Johnson, who previously helped scale Flock Safety from under $1 million to $90 million in annual recurring revenue, will focus on go-to-market strategies and how AI agents can take over tasks like prospect research and outreach. Koelliker, drawing on his experience at LinkedIn and Uber, will discuss how talent platforms must adapt as AI agents assume roles in engineering, customer support, and operations.

For startup founders and product managers, this shift transforms the fundamental approach to organizational design. Instead of automatically opening job requisitions for routine operational or technical tasks, practitioners must evaluate whether a human or an AI agent is better suited for the work. This transition introduces critical operational challenges, such as establishing clear lines of ownership, determining who verifies the output of autonomous systems, and identifying which core strategic responsibilities are too vital to ever delegate to software.

The discussion will take place in front of an estimated audience of over 10,000 startups, investors, and technology decision-makers. Attendees looking to join the session can save up to $200 on their Disrupt passes by registering before the rate increase on September 25 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with group registrations offering additional savings of up to 30 percent.