Why Building an Open API First Is Now Essential for AI Agent Integration

A perspective piece published on Imacto.com argues that an open API should be the first priority for product teams, not an afterthought. The core advice is to build the API, use it internally first, and then open it to external developers. Historically, this approach was seen primarily as a growth strategy, with each integrating team expanding the product's reach beyond what the original team could achieve alone. The article now frames this practice as equally critical for enabling AI agents to interact with products effectively. The piece was written with the assistance of Claude Opus 4.8.