The 8 Best AI CRM Software

Does AI really improve CRM software?

• AI customer service agents can assist in answering client questions if you provide them with the right data set or resources
• AI can help you with workflows or advise on their setup
• Predictive analytics can help you understand your pipeline better and set the right emphasis
• It can score leads, so you can prioritize them better
• Apply and automate personalized marketing
• You can integrate an AI notetaker to your CRM and get a call summary straight to your meeting event

List of all AI capabilities of the CRM tools we tested:

• ActiveCampaign:
• Generates content for emails, SMS, and landing pages.
• Performs lead scoring and sentiment analysis.
• Offers AI-powered A/B testing and predictive sending.
• Freshsales:
• Generates sales emails and SMS content.
• Provides deal insights and forecasting.
• Suggests next best actions and resolves duplicate contacts.
• Zoho CRM:
• Enriches lead data and suggests workflows.
• Analyzes email intent and summarizes communications.
• Integrates with other Zoho tools for enhanced functionality.
• Pipedrive:
• Predicts deal closure probability.
• Summarizes email content and generates emails.
• Nutshell:
• Provides AI timeline summarization for customer histories.
• Offers AI meeting and call summarization capabilities.
• Folk:
• Automates tasks and provides insights across the customer journey.
• Tracks email interactions and sales analytics.
• HubSpot:
• Offers AI-powered sales assistant features.
• Provides insights and recommendations based on customer data.
• Salesforce:
• Uses Einstein AI for relationship and conversation insights.
• Scores leads and opportunities, providing sales forecasting.
• Vtiger:
• Incorporates AI for sales automation and engagement.
• Provides analytics and marketing automation capabilities.
• General AI Capabilities:
• Automated customer service and routine process automation.
• Predictive analytics for sales and customer behavior insights.

SPOILER ALERT by Yuliya Lelyakh (CRM Development & Implementation Consultant, COO at Inceptly)

• I can’t say that any CRMs I’ve tested have AI assistants powerful enough to really wow the users (unfortunately, I was unable to test Salesforce’s Einstein Copilot). That said, the AI functionalities offered by many CRMs on the market today have made massive leaps in quality and actual usability over the last year alone, so I’m certain we’ll see them become a standard across CRM systems very soon, with sales managers relying on integrating AI into CRM more and more as they get smarter and more powerful.
• Zoho One gives competitors a run for their money with the advanced features of AI CRM solutions. Best value-to-price ratio and AI capabilities that are actually useful rather than just gimmicky (full disclosure: I didn't think much of Zia last year). Zoho CRM is also a worthwhile solution, but I strongly prefer Zoho One for the extra set of tools it offers without having to pay that much more. Zoho can work for a business of any size, in any niche, but would be best for companies that need something as close to custom-built as possible, but at a fraction of the cost of a custom system.
• Freshworks’s Freshsales Suite impressed me with a robust set of features coupled with a wide array of customization options and great usability. It's worth checking out for most businesses looking for something powerful, but also quick and easy to set up and run with.
• ActiveCampaign truly shines when it comes to marketing automation and would be the best option for companies in the e-commerce space and those that rely heavily on email marketing.

About the Author 
Yuliya Lelyakh, CRM Development & Implementation Consultant, COO at Inceptly
As a person who liked to play with spreadsheets as a child and built her first Excel-based CRM from scratch at age 16 while working a summer job at her dad’s office, Yuliya was obsessed with efficiency and order from an early age. Armed with a degree in Business Administration, she worked in several marketing-adjacent roles and startups before re-discovering her true passion.
For the last five years, Yuliya has been helping SMEs ditch their busy work and embrace efficiency through custom CRM solutions and process automation. Coming from a family of small business owners and having worked with multiple SMEs from various niches, she knows all about the day-to-day struggles and concerns that her clients deal with and finds fulfilment in helping them set up custom CRM solutions and back office systems to fuel their growth and become leaner.
Full disclosure: Yuliya is a Zoho Authorized Consulting Partner. But that doesn’t mean that she recommends Zoho to anyone who asks her for a suitable solution to their business needs, as it all depends on your specific needs and requirements as a business.