Prospects are freezing purchases because of AI agent hype

Had three demos last month that ended the same way. Prospect liked the product, understood the value, then said some version of "we're holding off on new software until we see where AI agents go." Not a pricing objection or a feature gap. Just uncertainty about whether the whole category still makes sense in a year.

I get it honestly. The headlines are intense right now and if you're a non-technical buyer reading that AI agents will replace entire software stacks, waiting feels rational even when it probably isn't. The thing is, an AI agent isn't going to replace a purpose-built vertical tool solving messy operational problems anytime soon, but that nuance gets lost in the noise.

What I've started doing is addressing it in the demo before they bring it up. I walk through what AI can and can't realistically handle for their workflow, being honest about where the overlap exists. It works better than pretending the conversation isn't happening. But the fact that I now have to sell against a vague future possibility rather than a specific competitor tells me something about where the market's head is at right now.