Sunday Edition #22: Architect or artifact?
On refounding Intercom, CS leaders taking the CEO seat, and why a chat widget isn't a strategy
Adding a chat widget isn’t AI transformation. Real transformation means refounding your business from the ground up. This week: our journey from traditional software to AI-first, how CS leaders are turning AI experience into executive influence, and events worth your time.
“Refounding” Intercom
This month marks four years since we went all-in on AI. A recent New York Times feature highlighted the $2 trillion market cap wipeout facing traditional software companies.
As Eoghan says in the article,
“Within three months after the release of ChatGPT, Intercom, which remains privately held, released an AI customer service agent. The company’s growth rate soared, and annual recurring revenue from the AI product ratcheted up to nearly $100 million”
Des amplified this milestone on LinkedIn:
From CX to CEO
For too long, CX roles have felt tethered to the tailpipe, managing the exhaust of every other department’s decisions. Now, AI is a career catalyst for those who champion it.
In our latest webinar, Danielle Constantine shared how she rose from a Customer Service lead to CEO of myHSA by leveraging Fin. Buried in manual tasks, she used AI to shift from operational support to strategic leadership.
Similarly, Eric Brulette (VP at Bloomerang) achieved 70% resolution rates, using that momentum to expand his executive influence. AI isn’t just scaling businesses; it’s scaling the people who lead them.
Strategy: The 2026 CS Transformation Report
This week Declan dropped Part 3 of our five-part deep dive.
3 key takeaways:
Omnichannel consistency: Investment is being leveled across chat, email, social, and voice to ensure the AI-powered brand experience is identical regardless of where the customer reaches out.
The “Hybrid” Workforce: AI has become the primary “first responder” for 90% of queries, freeing human agents to act as “product managers” who focus on high-stakes issues and proactive customer success.
Strategic shift to retention: Support priorities have flipped from “deflecting tickets” to “improving experience,” with 58% of teams now focusing on satisfaction as their #1 goal for 2026.
As Declan put it,
“We are truly in an era where delivering a perfect customer experience is now possible.”
Mic drop.
All five editions will live on our blog and LinkedIn. Download the full report here.
Pioneer 2026 in San Francisco
Our summit for AI Customer Service leaders, is officially coming to San Francisco on October 8, 2026. Real stories, real transformation, real leaders who have rebuilt their teams around AI.
Here are some highlights from last year’s event:
Product: Procedures and Simulations
Next week we’re hosting a LinkedIn Live to demo the latest updates to Procedures and Simulations. As Brian noted on LinkedIn,
This is the specialized toolkit designed for complex, high-stakes queries. If your team needs high reliability and confidence in AI for “the hard stuff,” this session is for you.
Our parting thought
The software industry is being rebuilt from the ground up. You’re either the architect of your team’s AI transformation or the one legacy systems leave behind.
Thanks for tuning in. See you next week.