Freshworks CEO: why agile enterprises are winning the AI race — and what they did differently
Agile enterprises are succeeding with AI not because of advanced models but because they prioritize foundational operational readiness. Companies like Seagate and New Balance rebuilt their systems from the ground up, enabling AI to deliver measurable value. The key differentiator is not spending more on AI, but starting with integrated data, clear workflows, and unified platforms.
- ▪Seagate rebuilt its ITSM platform from scratch, leading to an AI agent that deflects a third of incoming tickets.
- ▪MIT research shows 95% of generative AI pilots fail to scale, often due to poor underlying systems.
- ▪Freshworks' research indicates 25% of AI budgets are consumed by integration and data cleanup efforts.
- ▪New Balance gained market share by consolidating IT systems and improving operational agility.
- ▪AI succeeds in companies where data is consolidated, workflows are defined, and systems can communicate automatically.
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| Original publisher | Fortune |
| Canonical URL | https://fortune.com/2026/05/17/agile-enterprises-ai-strategy-dennis-woodside-freshworks/ |
| Publication time | Sun, 17 May 2026 12:30:00 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-17T12:57:13.083Z |
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Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
When the IT team at Seagate decided to replace the ITSM platform that had run their global IT operations for more than a decade, they had three months to do it. Recommended Video That was the deadline imposed by a hard contract expiration. Three months to move 30,000 employees across Seagate’s global storage and infrastructure operations onto an entirely new system. Most organizations, in that situation, do the obvious thing: lift the existing configurations, drop them into the new environment, and reconcile the mess later. It’s the safer path. It’s also the one that almost guarantees the AI capabilities the team was counting on will never fully work. The team chose the harder path.
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