VENDORiQ: More SaaS Vendors Integrate AI Into Their Platforms

IBRS introduces the concept of an 'AI kill chain' to address emerging challenges.

The Latest

Oct 2023: Some of the recent announcements related to AI integration include:

  • Social media management platform Hootsuite launched its AI-powered content generator, OwlyWriter AI, which is powered by GPT and prompt engineering/variance to offer unique content on similar topics. It is currently integrated into Hootsuite Composer and the scheduling post feature.
  • Zoho introduced OpenAI capabilities into its SaaS Analytics and DatPrep platforms.
  • Customer success platform Totango has partnered with generative AI company Jasper.ai to enable users to use natural language queries for better customer account segmentation and code generation used to connect Totango to other systems.
  • SAP’s SuccessFactors solutions will be integrated with Microsoft’s 365 Copilot and Azure OpenAI Service to access language models and generate natural language after it announced that ChatGPT will be embedded in SAP’s products.
  • Online whiteboard company Miro will boost its platform with 12 AI features, including image and diagram generation, summarising customer data, and interpreting code.
  • SaaS-based content management enterprise Messagepoint recently launched the integration of ChatGPT into its product, MARCIE or Messagepoint Advanced Rationalization and Content Intelligence Engine, to offer content rewrite recommendations.
  • Salesforce introduced two generative AI product offerings: Marketing GPT will support the generation of personalised emails, marketing journeys and segmentation, while Commerce GPT will help marketers customise shopping experiences using GPT-powered dynamic buying journeys.

Why It’s Important

Organisations need to be aware that many of the AI capabilities provided within their SaaS platforms are called external AI services (from Azure, AWS, OpenAI, Google, etc.). Each of these AI services has its own terms and conditions of use and may process data from your SaaS solutions in ways that are not transparent. Therefore, your SaaS vendor has extended your organisation’s data processing agreements by proxy.

Who’s Impacted

  • CEO
  • AI developers
  • IT teams

What’s Next?

IBRS believes that AI will be embedded in all SaaS products by early 2024. 

However, this will also give rise to what IBRS is calling the ‘AI kill chain’. That is, as SaaS solutions embed AI services, these services represent potential new attack vectors as well as legal (contractual and legislative) risks. Furthermore, these AI services the SaaS solutions are using, also make use of other specialised Cloud services, such as vector or graph databases, embedding solutions and so forth. Over time, IBRS expects the AI kill chain will become as convoluted and complex as tracing Open Source software dependencies. New services will likely emerge to assist organisations in understanding the network of interdependencies with AI.

Related IBRS Advisory

1. Five Things to Consider When Evaluating AI… and Five Dangerous AI Misconceptions

2. Why Enterprises Cannot Realise the Full Value of AI

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