From Hype to Habit: How We’re Building an AI-First SaaS Company—While Still Shipping the Roadmap
Jul 23, 2025 · 19:29
Rossella Blatt Vital and Deepsha, AI leaders at Sprout Social, share a candid, real-time look at transforming a SaaS company into an AI-first organization, arguing that the journey is messy, non-linear, and requires evolving across strategy, ways of working, and people. They explain that being AI-first means shifting from adding AI to existing features to reimagining entirely new experiences, while managing the innovator's dilemma of balancing current customer needs with future investments. Key shifts include adopting ritualized discovery—making experimentation a repeatable process—and embracing 'smart velocity' (speed with purpose) over chaotic fast shipping. On the people side, they advocate for T-shaped talent (deep expertise plus broad vision) and building org-wide AI fluency so every team feels empowered to use AI. Despite the disruption, they emphasize that fundamentals like solving real customer problems, user experience, and trust remain non-negotiable. The talk provides a practical framework but no simple playbook, encouraging leaders to start with the right questions and the conviction to evolve.
