AI SDRs are here — and they're not what you think

Early results from teams running autonomous outbound at scale.

AI is coming for the SDR role. Or so the headlines suggest.

But early adopters of AI SDR tools are learning that the reality is more nuanced. AI is good at specific, bounded tasks. It's not good at replacing human judgment.

We talked to three companies running AI SDR pilots. They're using the tools to generate personalized outreach at scale, but still relying on humans for conversation.

"The AI does 80% of the work. Humans do the last 20%. And that last 20% closes the deal," says one head of sales development.

The productivity gains are real—one team increased their outreach volume by 3x without hiring. But they also had to rethink their playbooks and training.

The winner won't be the company with the most autonomous AI. It'll be the one that figures out how to pair AI with human insight most effectively.

For SDRs worried about automation: your job isn't going away. It's evolving.