How AI Is Reshaping the World of Pre-Sales - Chennai Edition (w/ The AI Collective)
How AI Is Reshaping the World of Pre-Sales
AI is changing how enterprise deals are discovered, shaped, solutioned and won. And Pre-Sales is right at the centre of this shift.
From the first customer conversation to solution consulting, technical evaluations, demos and RFPs, the role of Pre-Sales is evolving rapidly.
Demos are changing. Buyer expectations are changing. The boundaries between Sales and Solution Engineering are shifting. And AI is opening up an entirely new set of possibilities for how Pre-Sales teams operate.
We're bringing together a curated group of Pre-Sales leaders, Solution Engineers, Architects and GTM operators for an open conversation on how AI is reshaping the function.
What we'll talk about
We'll follow the enterprise deal journey and explore what's changing at every stage.
1. Customer Conversations & Deal Strategy
How are discovery and qualification changing in an AI-first world?
Are Pre-Sales teams becoming more involved in shaping deal strategy?
How do we understand buyer intent, navigate stakeholders and influence complex enterprise deals?
How is the relationship between Account Executives and Solution Engineers evolving?
2. Solution & Technical Consulting
Is Solution Engineering becoming the next big function in enterprise SaaS?
Are Account Executives and Solution Engineers becoming equal partners in the sales process?
How are solution design, technical validation and consulting-led selling evolving?
What does the modern Solution Engineer's role look like?
3. Demos, Evaluations & Proof of Value
How are enterprise demos changing with AI?
Are static product demos giving way to personalised, problem-led experiences?
How are teams approaching technical evaluations, POCs and proof of value?
What does it take to turn a technical conversation into a winning deal?
4. RFPs, Bids & The Future of Pre-Sales
How are AI tools changing the way teams approach RFPs, tenders and security questionnaires?
What parts of bid management can AI take over, and where does human judgement still matter?
How will AI reshape Pre-Sales team structures, skills and operating models?
Who will be in the room?
We're excited to bring together leaders from AI-native startups, established SaaS companies and Chennai's growing technology ecosystem.
Expect a room of experienced SaaS leaders and operators from Chennai — people who are building, selling and scaling technology businesses, and navigating these changes firsthand.
If you're working in Pre-Sales, Solution Engineering, Enterprise Sales or GTM, we'd love to have you in the conversation.
The Format
This will be a small, curated, closed-room gathering designed for honest conversations, shared experiences and diverse perspectives.
We'll bring a few discussion themes and prompts shaped by conversations we've been having with Pre-Sales professionals across the ecosystem. These will help get the conversation started.
Beyond that, the room is yours. Bring your experiences, questions, opinions and even disagreements. The idea is to learn from one another and have conversations that continue beyond the event.
Stay tuned for more details about the format and the gathering.
Limited to 15–20 participants.
Event Details
Date: Sunday, 15 November 2026
Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: Chennai
Hosted by: AI Collective Chennai × The Madras GTM Club
About the Organisers
AI Collective Chennai
Building the human layer of AI. Bringing together builders, founders, practitioners and leaders to learn, collaborate and shape the AI ecosystem.
The Madras GTM Club
A community for Sales, Marketing, Pre-Sales and GTM professionals to exchange ideas, share experiences and rethink how businesses go to market in an AI-native world.
Registration
This is a curated, invite-only meetup with limited seats.
Register your interest. The organisers will review registrations and confirm participation.
The exact venue will be shared with confirmed attendees.
We look forward to having you in the room.Please be advised: Unfortunately, space is very limited at these community events and we can not always accept everyone we would like to. If you are not accepted to this event, please keep applying! We appreciate your application tremendously and we are looking forward to seeing you at a future event very soon!
The AI Collective is a global non-profit building the human layer for the AI era. We unite 200,000+ leaders, builders, and stakeholders across 100+ forums worldwide to democratize the frontier, build trust, and coordinate how society navigates the rapid acceleration of technological progress.
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