The technology available for building AI solutions has undergone a massive transformation in the past year. Here are the key points:

• Open AI Assistance API V2: This new API from Open AI provides a state-of-the-art knowledge base, vector store, and chat history management - all the core components needed to build powerful conversational AI agents. This eliminates the need to build these components from scratch.

• Bland AI Conversational Pathways: Bland AI has also released advanced capabilities for building voice-based AI assistants. Their Conversational Pathways feature provides depth and flexibility to create complex voice solutions.

• Agentive by Morningside AI: This is a platform built on top of the Open AI Assistance API, providing an easy-to-use interface to quickly build text-based AI agents with robust knowledge bases.

The key benefit of these new technologies is that they allow AI agencies to focus on the customization and deployment of AI solutions, rather than having to build the core infrastructure from the ground up. This makes it significantly faster and more cost-effective to deliver value to clients.

Additionally, these platforms provide enough depth and flexibility that businesses are unlikely to try building the solutions themselves. There is still a clear need for specialized AI agencies to leverage this technology on behalf of their clients.

Overall, the combination of these powerful AI platforms, along with the decreasing competition as some leave the space, makes now the optimal time to start an AI agency and capitalize on this growing market opportunity.

The current market conditions present an ideal opportunity to start an AI agency. Here's why:

1. Technological Advancements: The past year has seen massive leaps in AI technology, making it much easier and more cost-effective to build powerful AI solutions. Tools like the OpenAI Assistant API V2 and Anthropic's Conversational Pathways provide robust knowledge bases, chat history management, and other features that significantly reduce the development effort required.

2. Market Dynamics: While the hype around AI agencies has died down, the actual demand for AI services continues to grow. As the technology adoption curve progresses, more businesses are becoming receptive to incorporating AI into their operations. This means less competition from those chasing the "shiny object" syndrome, allowing you to focus on delivering real value.

3. Marketing Methods: Inbound lead generation, particularly through platforms like LinkedIn, has proven to be an effective way to attract clients. By consistently sharing your knowledge and expertise, you can build a personal brand and have potential clients reach out to you, rather than relying on outbound tactics that may be less effective in this stage of the technology adoption curve.

To get started, focus on the following steps:

1. Understand what AI can do for businesses: Educate yourself on the various use cases and benefits of AI solutions, so you can effectively communicate the value to potential clients.

2. Advertise your services through inbound marketing: Leverage platforms like LinkedIn to share your knowledge and expertise, attracting potential clients who are interested in what you have to offer.

3. Develop a sales process: Create a streamlined process for converting leads into paying clients, from the initial outreach to closing the deal.

By capitalizing on the current market conditions, you can position your AI agency for success and be part of the growing demand for AI-powered solutions.

The key to effectively marketing your AI agency is to focus on inbound lead generation methods. This allows you to attract your target market and get real-time feedback on the solutions they want, rather than guessing what they might need.

Some effective inbound marketing strategies include:

1. Personal Branding on LinkedIn: Consistently share valuable content about AI, the problems it can solve, and how you can help. This will position you as an expert and attract interested prospects.

2. YouTube Content Creation: Similar to LinkedIn, creating educational videos about AI and your services can help you build an audience of potential clients.

3. Iterative Product Development: Don't spend months building a solution in isolation. Instead, learn, build, and get feedback from the market. Iterate quickly based on what your target customers tell you they want.

The key is to avoid traditional outbound tactics like cold email or ads at first. Focus on inbound methods that allow you to have conversations with your potential clients and understand their needs. This will help you develop the right solutions and make selling much easier.

By leveraging these effective marketing techniques, you can build momentum, get in front of the right customers, and position your AI agency for long-term success.