SaaStr

The Agents #005: Our AI is Hiring!

The discussion revolves around the cost-effectiveness and evolving capabilities of AI agents, specifically 10K (AI VP of Marketing) and QB (AI VP of Customer Success) at Sasser AI. Initially, the hosts were unaware of the actual costs but were shocked to discover that running both AI VPs together cost only $257 a month. This low cost is attributed to several factors: leveraging existing APIs (like Salesforce, Bizabo, YouTube, X, WordPress) for data pulling, which are largely free or nominally priced; storing massive amounts of data in a Postgres database at negligible cost; and primarily utilizing OpenAI Mini, which costs less than a penny per call, for approximately 95% of their operations. Amelia Bellamy, Chief AI Officer, highlights that while the direct AI costs are low, the agents piggyback off existing, more expensive licenses and usage fees for platforms like Salesforce. However, even with these blended costs, the agents are infinitely cheaper than hiring a human. She also raises a pertinent issue: current AI platforms often charge users when an agent makes a mistake, an expense she believes customers shouldn't bear. The hosts agree that while this was a bigger concern when AI models were less reliable, the current efficiency and low cost of successful operations make the occasional mistake charge insignificant.