Innovating with AI: The latest insights from SaaS companies leading the way

It’s easy to imagine how AI will reshape the future, but the reality is that AI is already here and now is the time to capitalize on the opportunity.

To really experience AI’s benefits, companies will have to make big plays. Slapping AI onto existing products or processes won’t be enough – you have to be willing to rebuild your business model with AI at its core.

At a recent event in our San Francisco headquarters, we brought together leaders from other SaaS companies who are doing just this:

• Glenn Jaume: Product Leader at Coda
• John Wang: CTO and Cofounder at Assembled
• Barry Wallace: Senior Director of Business Operations here at Intercom

They are all actively rethinking how SaaS products are built, priced, and delivered in the AI era – and in the process, creating tangible customer value and driving sustainable revenue growth.

They talked about how they do this on a practical level, and share their perspectives on topics like pricing AI-enhanced features, rethinking customer support strategies, and quantifying the ROI of your AI investments.

Here are some of the most interesting insights the panel shared:

Value looks different in the age of AI

AI presents a new challenge that requires businesses to rethink how to quantify and monetize AI’s impact. Barry explains how Intercom is now charging per AI-powered resolution rather than per seat. “We are charging per resolution, which is essentially charging for work as opposed to a seat,” he says. This model aligns pricing directly with the value AI delivers, potentially boosting revenue while offering clearer ROI for customers.

Be thoughtful with your implementation roadmap

It pays to be strategic with your AI investments. Go all-in, but be smart about it.

“We use the best and most expensive models when it matters”

Glenn from Coda emphasizes the importance of judicious AI deployment and focusing on areas with the highest potential for value creation. “We use the best and most expensive models when it matters,” he notes, highlighting the need to balance advanced capabilities with operational costs.

There are new stakeholders at the table

Delivering the best experience for customers is a key focus area, which means customer support roles are becoming more strategic. With AI handling routine queries, John from Assembled describes how support teams are collaborating in new ways to drive customer retention and upsell opportunities: “With AI handling transactional work, customer service teams can be proactive consultants and work cross functionally with product and sales teams.”

Data quality plays a critical role in AI’s success

AI’s effectiveness hinges on the quality and relevance of the data it’s drawing on. All the panelists agree that prioritizing robust data management strategies alongside AI development is crucial to get effective results.

Skills are evolving for an AI-augmented workplace

AI tools are changing the nature of technical work, emphasizing high-level problem-solving and AI collaboration skills, John notes. This shift suggests companies will need to rethink hiring and training strategies to build teams that can thrive in an AI-driven environment.

The full conversation contains all this and much more – a clear demonstration of the excitement and innovation we’re seeing in the application of AI right now.