AI in Sales: Beyond the Hype
AI is everywhere in sales — but most teams are still unclear on when to introduce it, where it actually drives ROI, and what ends up wasting time or hurting conversion.
This session is designed for founders and GTM leaders who want to move beyond experimentation and hype, and build a repeatable, scalable sales motion using AI selectively — without over-automating or breaking buyer trust.
The session will be moderated by Helen Kontozopoulos, an experienced GTM operator and advisor who has worked closely with founders and revenue teams to scale go-to-market motions thoughtfully and sustainably. Helen brings a practitioner-first perspective, grounded in real-world trade-offs rather than tool hype.
She will be joined by Joe Cote, Chief Growth Officer at Merchant Growth, who brings hands-on experience scaling revenue and building GTM systems in real operating environments. Joe will share a candid operator’s perspective on how AI fits into modern sales motions, what has actually delivered results, and where teams need to be careful.
What we’ll cover:
Where AI creates real ROI in early-stage sales (and where it doesn’t)
When to introduce AI in the sales cycle — and when it’s too early
What to automate vs. what should remain human-led
Real examples of what worked, what didn’t, and what teams stopped doing
How to avoid common AI traps that add complexity without improving outcomes
Who should attend:
Founders running or transitioning from founder-led sales
GTM, RevOps, or Sales hires
B2B SaaS and AI-enabled startups