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In the generative AI age currently sweeping the business and tech worlds, CRM (customer relationship management) software may seem antiquated — with some firms even forgoing it entirely in favor of radically different AI tools.
But for Boston-headquartered Creatio, a global provider of AI-native workflow automation and CRM solutions, the path forward is one of reimagining from the ground up what CRM can and should be, with AI as its primary interface and connective tissue.
Today during its Creatio.ai Live Executive Presentation, the company is introducing its new “AI native” CRM that puts a chatbot prompt box front and center, allowing the user to simply type in what data or operations they need and the CRM will serve it up, instead of the user hunting and pecking through different menus and buttons.
“Imagine a CRM with only one form: a prompt. Instead of navigating hundreds of screens, you simply ask what you need, and AI delivers it. That’s the future we’re building,” said Burley Kawasaki, global VP of product marketing and strategy at Creatio, in an interview with VentureBeat.
The company is also adding new ways for Creatio CRM users to quickly build and “hire” AI agents to do repetitive tasks within their CRM, which Creatio calls “Digital Talent with human expertise.”
The updates are coming at no cost to current users — it starts at $25 per user per month — with the goal of allowing businesses to streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and scale without the traditional constraints of workforce expansion.
Creatio’s success is born out of experience
Traditional CRM systems have long been plagued by complexity, manual data entry, and inefficiencies that slow adoption and hinder productivity.
Creatio knows the space well, having been operating in it since its founding and self-financing by CEO Katherine Kostereva in 2014, initially under the name Bpm’online (it became Creatio in 2019).
In the last 11 years, the platform’s adaptability and commitment to low- and no-code development — you don’t need to have any preexisting software-development training or knowledge to customize it and buidl new CRM apps within it — have attracted a diverse user base across various industries, with clients including the City of Pittsburgh, BNI, the Baltimore Life Companies, Novamex, Pacific Western Group of Companies, CITCO, Constantia Flexibles, USA Managed Care Organization, Banco G&T Continental, Coca-Cola Bottling Company United, OTP Bank, and NAMU Travel Group, among many others.
Creatio has achieved significant milestones in recent years. In 2021, the company reported a net retention rate of 132% and surpassed 10 million daily workflows executed across its platform in 100 countries. The global team expanded to over 700 employees during this period.
In mid-2024, Creatio secured a $200 million investment, valuing the company at $1.2 billion. This funding round, led by Sapphire Ventures, aims to further develop Creatio’s no-code and AI capabilities, enhancing its enterprise CRM solutions.
Reinventing the CRM
Now, Creatio’s AI-native CRM seeks to overcome the remaining barriers to making good use of CRMs by embedding AI directly into its platform, transforming CRM from a static data management tool into an intelligent system that anticipates needs and automates workflows.
“Many users aren’t thrilled with legacy CRM. They log in, wade through dozens of screens, deal with mindless data entry, and end up with a fragmented experience. AI-native CRM reimagines that, making the experience personal, intuitive and efficient,” Kawasaki explained.
According to Creatio, AI should not be an add-on but a core component of CRM, fundamentally reshaping how businesses interact with data, customers and internal processes.
Unlike legacy solutions that require users to manually input and analyze data, Creatio.ai automates these tasks, allowing employees to focus on high-value work.
The company relies on leading third-party model providers and open-source models, and allows users to select which models are best for their company’s requirements and needs.
AI agent workforce
One of the central themes of Creatio’s vision is the integration of human and “Digital Talent,” with AI agents that take over repetitive, time-consuming tasks, freeing up human workers to concentrate on strategic and creative responsibilities.
Rather than a one-size-fits-all AI assistant, Creatio emphasizes custom AI agents tailored to individual users.
“We believe in AI agents, but they need to be personalized. It’s not just a generic AI assistant — it’s a ‘[you] agent’ that knows how you work, the tools you use, and how you like to interact with them,” said Kawasaki.
Digital Talent integrates into daily workflows, operating across email (Outlook), video conferencing (Zoom) and collaboration platforms (Teams) to surface insights, automate tasks and assist with decision-making.
It also doesn’t require users to switch among multiple applications; instead, it delivers relevant insights within the tools employees already use.
“Instead of forcing users to adapt to AI, AI should adapt to users — whether it’s embedded in Outlook, Teams or any other tool they already use daily,” Kawasaki noted.
Furthermore, while traditional CRM systems collect data, they have typically required users to act on it manually. With Digital Talent, Creatio’s AI can autonomously analyze information, make recommendations and even take predefined actions.
This means automated follow-ups, customer segmentation, lead prioritization and real-time decision-making based on AI-driven insights.
This approach enables companies to scale their go-to-market operations without increasing headcount, addressing common business challenges such as rising operational costs and talent shortages. With AI handling administrative burdens, employees can dedicate more time to fostering customer relationships and driving business growth.
“AI in the enterprise shouldn’t be about replacing jobs; it should be about freeing employees to focus on creative and strategic tasks that drive impact,” he added.
The four pillars
Creatio.ai is built on four foundational principles:
• Core: AI is deeply embedded into the platform, providing natural language interactions, voice commands and intuitive workflow automation. By understanding CRM data natively, the system allows users to interact seamlessly without complex navigation.
• Unified: The platform integrates predictive, generative and agentic AI capabilities into a single cohesive system. It also consolidates structured and unstructured data — such as emails, meetings and documents — while applying intelligent reasoning to enhance efficiency.
• Actionable: AI-powered automation eliminates manual data entry, personalizes role-based behaviors and integrates directly with daily productivity tools such as Microsoft Outlook, Zoom and Microsoft Teams. This ensures AI remains an active participant in workflows, providing real-time insights and recommendations.
• Composable: No-code design tools empower users to build and adapt AI agents without technical expertise. This modular approach allows businesses to continuously refine and innovate their automation strategies.
“No-code development is crucial. Just as we’ve made workflows and applications easy to build, we’re applying the same no-code philosophy to AI agents — so businesses can create and customize them without writing a single line of code,” Kawasaki explained.
A new vision for the CRM takes root
Creatio’s AI-native approach represents a shift from reactive CRM processes to proactive intelligent action. By embedding AI into every aspect of user interactions and workflows, businesses can enhance operational speed, improve decision-making and unlock new opportunities.
“This isn’t a product announcement — it’s about setting a vision. We’re educating the market on what AI-native means and preparing for a new era where digital and human talent coexist,” Kawasaki said.
The company’s vision will be further explored at Creatio’s flagship event, scheduled for May 13-15 in Orlando. The event will bring together digital leaders to discuss innovations in AI, no-code automation and modern CRM solutions.
As AI continues to evolve, Creatio aims to lead the charge in redefining how businesses leverage technology to create more efficient and intelligent operations.
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