105. End of the Gut: AI Is the New Sales Instinct

TECHtonic: Trends in Technology and Services

In this episode of TECHtonic, TSIA’s Executive Director and EVP Thomas Lah is joined by Chris Albro and Chad O’Connor, co-CROs at People.ai, for a frank and forward-looking conversation about how artificial intelligence is transforming modern sales organizations. With decades of sales leadership experience at companies such as Oracle, Siebel, and Outreach, Chris and Chad bring grounded, practical insight into what they call the "Four Sales Rituals": coaching, account planning, opportunity management, and forecasting. These essential processes are often still run on outdated, manual routines, leaving revenue teams inefficient and reactive. But AI is upending that status quo. From automating CRM data capture to uncovering hidden deal risks and enhancing forecast accuracy, this episode examines how forward-thinking sales teams are leveraging AI to work smarter—and win more.

But this isn’t just an efficiency story. It’s about reimagining the role of the sales professional in a world where data and AI augment every decision. The guests explain how AI enables more meaningful customer interactions by freeing reps to focus on strategic, human-driven work, and why clinging to “gut instinct” is becoming a liability. Thomas, Chris, and Chad explore the cultural resistance to AI adoption, the leadership mindsets required to overcome it, and the career-defining opportunities salespeople have if they choose to embrace AI now. Whether you’re a CRO, RevOps leader, or quota-carrying AE, this episode is a must-listen wake-up call for anyone in tech sales today.