Intercom’s CPO Paul Adams joins The Product Experience to talk about how the company has radically transformed its approach in the wake of AI's acceleration. From ripping up roadmaps and reorganising teams to reinventing pricing models, Paul shares what it really takes to adapt—fast.
Key takeaways
"You’re not selling users anymore. You’re selling work."
AI has shifted Intercom’s business model from seat-based to outcome-based pricing—charging per resolution, not per person.
"We ripped up our strategy five days after ChatGPT launched."
Intercom made a bold, immediate pivot to reorient its product and vision around AI, including launching a new website and scrapping existing roadmaps.
"The only thing that’s persisted is our principles."
While teams, triads and structures were dismantled, Intercom kept its core product principles intact—like 'start with the problem'.
"This isn’t evolution—it’s a new species of company."
Intercom now compares itself to AI-native startups, not its former self. It has rebuilt the product team into flexible, role-fluid workstreams.
"People have left because it’s not for them."
The pace of change has human costs. Leadership must communicate directly and honestly to support people through radical transformation.
"I worry I’ll be left behind too."
Even senior leaders are actively relearning—Paul admits to using tools like Replit and Lovable to stay current with AI-native UX trends.
Chapters
00:00 – Opening thoughts: fear of being left behind in the AI era
00:18 – Introduction to the episode and Paul Adams
01:00 – Paul’s journey from Google and Facebook to Intercom
01:51 – What it’s like to witness Intercom evolve over 11+ years
02:22 – The energy and disruption brought on by AI
03:17 – From seat-based to value-based pricing: the big shift
05:06 – Why AI made Intercom rethink everything, fast
07:58 – Sales team challenges: retraining to sell a new model
09:43 – The business impact: Fin’s rapid growth and dual-model tension
11:02 – What it means to “sell work” instead of licences
12:58 – New kinds of jobs emerging around AI tooling
14:45 – Ripping up process: how Intercom builds products now
16:00 – Competing with AI-native startups, not legacy Intercom
17:49 – The one thing that stayed: Intercom’s product principles
18:54 – Why starting with the problem is more critical than ever
20:28 – No more triads: fluid workstreams replace rigid team structures
22:30 – Planning horizons shrink: now thinking in 2–3 month cycles
24:56 – How leadership balances stability and pace of change
26:00 – Supporting teams through uncertainty and upskilling
28:00 – The importance of radical honesty about AI’s impact
30:02 – Paul’s own learning curve: using Replit and Lovable to stay sharp
32:08 – Updating Intercom’s ideal customer profile for AI-first product
35:31 – Wrap-up: embracing change, finding purpose, and… accidental pizza décor
Featured links
Intercom’s AI agent, Fin | https://www.intercom.com/drlp/ai-agent
Paul Adams on LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/pauladams/
Replit | https://replit.com/
Lovable | https://lovable.dev/
Jobs to be done at Intercom | https://www.intercom.com/resources/books/intercom-jobs-to-be-done
