B2B SaaS Product Innovation: Impact and Implications in Generative AI (Part 2)

January 2025 Outlook

This is the second part of our research report on B2B SaaS Product Innovation. This part focuses on cases of companies successfully using generative AI, the impact of these advancements and the urgency of understanding them. One-third of organisations are regularly using GenAI in at least one function, and 40% of those expect to invest more in AI overall thanks to GenAI.¹  

Examples of B2B SaaS Companies Successfully Using GenAI

Many B2B SaaS companies are already successfully using generative AI in their products. Here are a few examples:

• Salesforce Einstein GPT: Salesforce introduced Einstein GPT, a generative AI product that refines customer relationship management (CRM) by connecting company data to large language models. This allows for automated email marketing campaigns, personalised content, and streamlined app development.²

• HubSpot's AI-Powered Marketing Tools: HubSpot uses AI to automate and optimise marketing campaigns, improving engagement and conversion rates.3

• Cvent's AI-Powered Event Management Platform: Cvent's platform helps event organisers and venues optimise their operations, improve attendee engagement, and drive better business outcomes.⁴  

• Apptio's AI-Driven Technology Business Management Solutions: Apptio's platform helps organisations optimise IT spending, improve resource allocation, and make data-driven decisions.⁴

• AlphaSense's AI-Powered Market Intelligence Platform: AlphaSense helps businesses gather and analyse market intelligence.⁴

• GitHub Copilot: GitHub Copilot uses generative AI to provide code suggestions and even generate entire functions in response to natural language prompts and existing code.⁶ This can significantly speed up the software development process and help developers write better code. GitHub also leverages AI to automate testing, ensuring that software functions as intended.⁷

• Cursor AI: Cursor AI is an AI-powered code editor that uses generative AI to help developers write code faster and more efficiently.⁸  

It offers features such as code generation, autocompletion, and code suggestion, all powered by AI. Cursor AI also allows developers to ask questions about their code and receive AI-generated answers.⁹

CES 2025: B2B SaaS Innovation Showcase

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas has traditionally been a showcase for consumer-facing technology. However, CES 2025 saw a growing presence of B2B SaaS companies, with 43% of attendees having a B2B focus.¹⁰ This shift reflects the increasing importance of B2B SaaS in the broader technology landscape and the growing interest in how AI is transforming business operations.

CES provides a platform for B2B SaaS companies to Showcase their latest AI-powered products and solutions. For example, Salesforce showcased its latest AI-powered CRM solutions, including Einstein GPT, which helps businesses automate tasks, personalise customer interactions, and gain deeper insights from their data.¹¹ Companies like Samsung are also leveraging CES to highlight their B2B offerings, showcasing how their technologies can be used in various industries, from healthcare to manufacturing.

The growing B2B presence at CES underscores the importance of this event for companies looking to stay ahead of the curve in the rapidly evolving world of SaaS and generative AI. CES 2025 featured an entire hall (the N Hall) dedicated to enterprise and B2B technologies, showcasing verticals like IoT, network infrastructure, smart cities, sustainability, fintech, and SaaS¹⁰ .

Impact of Generative AI on B2B SaaS Companies

Generative AI is reshaping the B2B SaaS landscape. Its impact extends beyond individual product features, influencing how companies operate, compete, and serve their customers. AI is poised to transform B2B SaaS, driving growth and innovation across various business functions, including customer service, cybersecurity, and customer relationship management . Generative AI's impact on productivity could add trillions of dollars in value to the global economy.

• Enhanced Engagement and Productivity: AI-powered automation streamlines various tasks, from content creation to customer support, freeing up employees to focus on more strategic and creative endeavors.³ For example, generative AI can automate the creation of marketing copy, potentially increasing output by 20%.¹²

• Improved Customer Experience: Generative AI enables personalized customer interactions, tailored recommendations, and efficient support, leading to increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.³ McKinsey reports that personalization through AI can boost revenue by 10-15% for SaaS companies.¹²  

• Data-Driven Decision Making: AI algorithms analyse vast amounts of data to provide valuable insights into customer behaviour, market trends, and operational efficiency, empowering businesses to make informed decisions.¹³  

• Accelerated Innovation: Generative AI facilitates rapid prototyping and experimentation, enabling companies to develop and launch new products and features more quickly. Generative AI is disrupting traditional SaaS models by enabling the creation of composable applications and "noApps" that leverage AI action modules. This allows companies to build and deploy solutions faster and more efficiently than ever before.¹⁵  

B2B SaaS Companies Leveraging GenAI

The Urgency of Understanding GenAI's Impact on Product Innovation

The rapid advancements in generative AI are creating both opportunities and challenges for B2B SaaS companies:

• Competitive Advantage: Companies that effectively leverage generative AI can gain a significant competitive advantage by automating tasks, improving efficiency, and developing innovative products and features.16

• Changing Customer Expectations: Customers are increasingly expecting personalized and seamless experiences. Generative AI can help B2B SaaS companies meet these expectations and improve customer satisfaction.12

• Risk of Falling Behind: Companies that fail to adopt generative AI risk falling behind their competitors and losing market share.16

• Disruption of Traditional SaaS Models: Generative AI is disrupting traditional SaaS models by enabling the creation of composable applications and "noApps" that leverage AI action modules.14

Conclusion

Generative AI is poised to transform B2B SaaS, impacting not just businesses, but also employees and the broader economy. While some experts predict that this technology will primarily augment existing jobs rather than replace them outright, this shift will still create opportunities for workers to upskill and transition into more strategic roles.

For businesses, the benefits are multifaceted. Generative AI can analyse massive datasets to uncover unmet customer needs and predict emerging market trends. This allows companies to develop innovative products and features with a higher likelihood of success.¹⁸ Furthermore, generative AI is likely to reshape business models, potentially unlocking new revenue streams and altering traditional operational approaches.¹⁴

The widespread adoption of generative AI could have a profound economic impact, driving productivity gains and fostering economic growth. However, this technology also carries the risk of exacerbating existing inequalities if not managed responsibly. Ethical considerations are paramount, particularly concerning potential biases in AI-generated content and the need for responsible implementation.

Ultimately, generative AI presents unprecedented opportunities for innovation and growth within the B2B SaaS landscape. Companies that embrace this technology can streamline operations, improve product offerings, and build stronger customer relationships.¹⁷ As McKinsey highlights, "Generative AI's impact on productivity could add trillions of dollars in value to the global economy."¹⁵ To fully realize this potential and mitigate potential downsides, responsible AI development and deployment are absolutely crucial.

Works cited

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