Legacy systems like CRMs will lose their central role. A new, dynamic 'agent layer' will sit above them, interpreting user intent and executing tasks across multiple tools. This layer, which collapses the distance between intent and action, will become the primary place where work gets done.
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Instead of merely 'sprinkling' AI into existing systems for marginal gains, the transformative approach is to build an AI co-pilot that anticipates and automates a user's entire workflow. This turns the individual, not the software, into the platform, fundamentally changing their operational capacity.
The new generation of AI automates workflows, acting as "teammates" for employees. This creates entirely new, greenfield markets focused on productivity gains for every individual, representing a TAM potentially 10x larger than the previous SaaS era, which focused on replacing existing systems of record.
Beyond just generating creative, the future of AI in CRM is using "agentic AI" to build better strategies. This involves agents that help define audience segments, determine the next best product or action, and accelerate the implementation of complex campaigns, enhancing human strategy rather than replacing it.
The next evolution of sales technology isn't an improved CRM but an integrated platform connecting ERP, finance, and legal systems. Salespeople will interact with it via voice commands to get instant answers, generate proposals, and coordinate cross-departmental actions without manual input.
Stop thinking of sales, marketing, and support as separate functions with separate tools. AI agents are blurring these lines. A support interaction becomes a lead gen opportunity, and a marketing email can be sent by a 'sales' tool. Prepare for a unified go-to-market operational model.
Intercom's CEO predicts that companies will abandon separate AI agents for sales, service, and onboarding. A single, coordinated "customer agent" is necessary to avoid conflicting goals and create a seamless, high-touch experience for every user.
Sam Altman's ultimate vision for software isn't AI-assisted messaging but a proactive agent. Instead of managing Slack, users will state their goals for the day, and the AI will handle communication and tasks, providing batched updates. This signals a shift from augmenting existing workflows to replacing them entirely.
The next user interface paradigm is delegation, not direct manipulation. Humans will communicate with AI agents via voice, instructing them to perform complex tasks on computers. This will shift daily work from hours of clicking and typing to zero, fundamentally changing our relationship with technology.
An IT head with two decades of experience believes AI will fundamentally change IT support. Traditional ITSM, reliant on manual ticketing and workflows, is being replaced by AI agents that can instantly understand intent, map requests to workflows, and fulfill them, collapsing resolution times.
The paradigm shift with AI agents is from "tools to click buttons in" (like CRMs) to autonomous systems that work for you in the background. This is a new form of productivity, akin to delegating tasks to a team member rather than just using a better tool yourself.
