How Agent AI Scaled to 1.4M Users: Building for Non-Tech Builders with Andrei Opirsan

In this episode, Rebecca Hastings speaks with Andrei Opirsan, Head of Engineering at Agent AI, about what it takes to scale a high-performance AI platform for both technical and non-technical users. From orchestrating tens of thousands of agents to building trust in fast-moving teams, Andrei shares hard-earned insights on leadership, architecture, and user-first growth. With experience at HubSpot, Wayfair, and now Agent AI, he breaks down what actually powers scalable, sustainable innovation in 2024.

🎧 Listen to the episode HERE.

Scaling Smart: From 0 to 1.4M Users in Under a Year

Agent AI’s growth wasn’t a lucky break—it was the result of deliberate decisions around architecture, product design, and team culture. Andrei outlines the three pillars of that scale: designing with a no-code-first mindset, iterating rapidly based on feedback, and building a modular system from day one.

“Even when you’re moving fast, you have to make decisions that won’t cost you six months later.”

Andrei also shares how the company continuously reviews its architecture to avoid bloat—and why having deep system observability is more important than perfect testing upfront.

Why No-Code Doesn’t Mean No Complexity

Agent AI serves everyone from total beginners to advanced developers. Andrei explains how the team balanced simplicity and extensibility—giving new users drag-and-drop workflows, while offering full API access and serverless functions for power users.

“Your early users shouldn’t outgrow the platform. It should grow with them.”

This dual-track approach ensures accessibility doesn’t come at the cost of performance or scale.

Engineering Culture That Moves Fast Without Breaking Trust

Small teams, Andrei argues, can consistently outperform larger ones—if they have trust, ownership, and a shared mission. He talks through how he’s structured Agent AI’s engineering team to stay lean, fast, and focused—even while scaling massively.

“We do quarterly off-sites, not just for fun, but to reset alignment and renew focus.”

From hiring for ambiguity to ensuring psychological safety, Andrei emphasizes that great technical performance starts with culture and communication.

Building the AI Stack That Feels Like Magic

Behind Agent AI’s intuitive interface is a complex system of agent orchestration, data infrastructure, and adaptive workflows. Andrei reveals what’s under the hood: grading agents based on performance, designing “teams” of agents, and optimizing for speed even with massive concurrent usage.

He also shares how the platform supports human-in-the-loop workflows, making AI feel less black-box—and more like a trusted co-pilot.

Key Topics Covered

• How Agent AI scaled from 0 to 1.4M users in less than a year

• Designing for no-code builders and technical teams

• What true modular architecture looks like in practice

• Why smaller engineering teams can ship better, faster work

• The role of trust, ambiguity, and ownership in high-growth teams

• When to build your own AI tools—and when to use a platform

• Metrics that matter more than vanity user counts
  

Episode Highlights

[00:00] Intro to Andrei Opirsan & the Agent AI mission

[02:00] The 3 core pillars of Agent AI’s rapid growth

[06:00] Balancing no-code simplicity with dev flexibility

[09:00] When to build AI from scratch vs. using platforms

[11:00] How Agent AI orchestrates tens of thousands of agents

[15:00] Why testing was delayed—and how they caught up

[21:00] Small team agility vs. big team overhead

[24:30] What traits matter most when hiring in startups

[28:00] The leadership shift from doing to enabling

[33:00] Managing distributed teams with shared clarity

[36:30] Why weekly active users matter more than signups

[37:50] How AI is reshaping hiring, trust, and verification

About Andrei Opirsan

Andrei Opirsan is Head of Engineering at Agent AI and co-founder of OneScreen.AI. He previously led engineering teams at companies like Wayfair, HubSpot, and Liberty Mutual. At Agent AI, he’s helping make intelligent agent-building accessible to non-technical users—while building a product and culture that scales with speed and precision.

📌 Connect with Andrei:

🔗 LinkedIn