AI-Powered Sales: How Speed Became the Ultimate Advantage

In today's fast-paced sales landscape, speed is the new competitive edge. AI is revolutionizing how businesses approach sales, enabling teams to move faster and close deals more efficiently. At the 2025 SaaStr + AI Summit, Perplexity's CBO Dmitry Shevelenko discussed how AI is transforming sales meetings and overall strategy.

Every question you'd ask in a meeting, you can ask AI beforehand. There are no excuses for not moving faster.

The 90-Minute Meeting Prep is a Thing of the Past

Sales professionals spending hours researching prospects are falling behind. Competitors using AI are compressing that prep time into minutes, leading to more conversations and faster deal closures. AI isn't just about efficiency; it's about unlocking new capabilities that transform customer interactions.

The AI Meeting Prep Framework

This simple yet powerful framework can revolutionize your sales process:

  • Front-Load Intelligence Gathering: Ask AI all your discovery questions before the meeting. Don't waste valuable time with a prospect covering basic information.
  • Go Deeper: Use the saved time to ask better questions. Explore nuanced challenges and specific pain points to drive deals forward.
  • Real-Time Transparency: Share your screen and use AI during the meeting to research the prospect's company live. This demonstrates authentic interest and builds credibility.

Why This Approach Works

  • Authenticity: Real-time AI research shows genuine interest and organic discovery.
  • Credibility: Demonstrate deep insights into the prospect's business and industry.
  • Efficiency: Maximize face-time by focusing on high-value strategic discussions.

Timing is Everything

Perplexity's success highlights the importance of timing and speed. The window for competitive advantage is shrinking. Executing at the right speed is crucial.

Beyond Meeting Prep: The Acceleration Mindset

Apply this mindset to all aspects of your business:

  • Prototyping and Concept Development: Accelerate prototyping and testing.
  • Product Validation: Rapidly test concepts before committing significant resources.
  • Strategic Planning: Explore multiple strategic directions simultaneously.

The Mental Model for Success

  • How can I do in one hour what used to take a day?
  • How can I do in one day what used to take a week?
  • How can I do in one week what used to take a month?

The Competitive Reality

Your competitors are already using AI. Those who embrace these tools are:

  • Having more qualified conversations.
  • Closing deals faster.
  • Iterating on products quicker.
  • Building deeper relationships.

Your AI Meeting Prep Playbook

For Sales Calls:

  1. Tell AI about yourself, your company, and the prospect.
  2. Ask AI how to structure the call and what you should know.
  3. Ask deeper questions about their challenges.
  4. Prepare strategic questions beyond basic discovery.

For Product Decisions:

  1. Use AI for rapid prototyping.
  2. Generate multiple approaches to problems.
  3. Get quick feedback on concepts.
  4. Compress your feedback loop.

The Bottom Line

Speed is the new moat, and AI is the key. Founders who leverage AI will gain a significant advantage. The tools are available. The question is, can you afford not to use them?