Modeling agents may have about the worst reputation of anyone involved in the entertainment industry. Ranking somewhere between music promoters and acting agents. These unpopular characters however, do not resemble all modeling agents and thankfully there are a few good ones out there.
Not all modeling agents are created equal, and there are those one can trust with the interests of your career in mind. Modeling agents who are less inclined to actually help won't last with rapid changes happening in the industry that will quickly render unscrupulous model agents completely ineffectual.
Future modeling agents will be the models themselves, creating their own promotional materials and methods of making a name for themselves. Modeling agents played a larger role in the past because they were an efficient way for those seeking talent to find the people they needed to complete their projects.