Key facts
- Curative CEO Fred Turner stated the company canceled its $600,000 annual Salesforce contract.
- The company developed an internal CRM using AI in two months to replace Salesforce.
- Turner believes in the 'SaaSpocalypse' theory, where AI tools enable companies to build their own software.
- Curative plans to cut approximately 80% of its SaaS spending this year.
- The company's spending on Anthropic's AI has increased significantly, with costs multiplying monthly.
- Curative uses a custom AI agent, Gwen, for contract negotiations, reducing costs from $1,500-$2,000 per contract to about $70.
Curative CEO Fred Turner has announced the company has terminated its $600,000 annual contract with Salesforce, opting instead for an in-house customer relationship management (CRM) system developed using AI in just two months. Turner expressed a strong belief in the 'SaaSpocalypse' theory, suggesting that advancements in AI coding agents will lead companies to build their own software solutions rather than relying on traditional SaaS providers.
Turner stated that Curative plans to cut approximately 80% of its overall SaaS expenditures this year, redirecting funds towards AI technologies. He highlighted the significant increase in spending on AI services from Anthropic, noting that costs have multiplied monthly, now reaching millions of dollars. Despite the rising AI costs, Turner believes the economics remain favorable due to increased efficiency.
As an example, Turner pointed to 'Gwen,' Curative's custom AI agent designed to negotiate contracts with healthcare providers. This AI has reduced the cost per contract from an average of $1,500 to $2,000 to about $70. Turner emphasized that this allows Curative to handle significantly more contracts than previously possible with human teams.
Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has publicly refuted the 'SaaSpocalypse' narrative, citing continued strong demand for Salesforce products and noting that even AI companies like Anthropic utilize their services. A Salesforce spokesperson reiterated the platform's widespread adoption and its capabilities in handling complex healthcare regulations like HIPAA.