AI & SaaS: Building the Future of Enterprise Success through Partnerships

Enterprises are no longer growing alone. They are co-creating value through AI, SaaS, and strategic partnerships.

These key insights were highlighted during the “Enterprise Success Formula: Winning with Long-Term Partnerships” breakout session at Sprout’s recently concluded SaaScon PH 2025.

The session focused on the increasing importance of strategic partnerships with AI and SaaS providers to help companies scale and at the same time stay competitive and provide better value to their customers.

Pia Azarcon, Managing Partner for Consulting at IBM Philippines, kicked off the session by pointing to the real challenges businesses face when adopting AI and SaaS solutions. She ran a quick poll with the audience, asking what obstacles come to mind when thinking about AI and SaaS. Responses like complexity, high costs, skills gaps, data quality issues, and concerns about bias quickly surfaced.

Azarcon acknowledged these challenges, but made it clear: with the right governance structures and the right partners, every challenge can be solved.

She explained that AI is no longer optional. It marks a permanent shift in how businesses operate. Quoting IBM’s latest survey, she shared that 40% of companies already have AI integrated into their processes. She emphasized that enterprises can no longer afford to treat AI like a side project. Instead, they need to embed it into their core operations, guided by strong governance and reliable data pipelines.

A major theme from Azarcon’s talk centered on the growing importance of partnerships. “No business will survive without a partner,” she said. Technology providers, especially those offering enterprise-grade AI platforms, help businesses fast-track adoption without starting from scratch.

She also stressed the importance of data quality. Clean, accessible data forms the backbone of successful AI strategies. When companies invest in structuring their data properly and partner with experts, they can overcome roadblocks like privacy concerns, bias, and data integrity issues.

Azarcon wrapped up by highlighting a critical mindset shift: AI will not replace humans—but people who use AI will replace those who don’t. Businesses that train and empower their teams to work alongside AI will have a clear advantage.

The “AI Solutions: Startup Showcase” session provided a platform for six AI startups to pitch their cutting-edge solutions. Each company shared how they are using AI to solve real-life business challenges.

1. Workflow Automation: Kherk Roldan, CEO at Kherk Roldan SEO, shared how his agency faced bottlenecks before using AI. Manual processes slowed them down. After introducing tools like Slite.com for collaboration and Looker Studio for data tracking, the agency grew from 20 to 150 staff. Roldan stressed that AI didn’t replace his team—it gave them the tools to focus on higher-value work.
2. AI-Assisted Employee Wellness Program: Giles Hage from Rebel talked about how mental and physical health issues, especially among Gen Z employees, are creating productivity and retention problems. Rebel’s platform uses AI to recommend personalized wellbeing programs, track health metrics, and predict potential health risks, helping companies save on healthcare costs while supporting employees’ overall wellbeing.
3. Voice-Enabled Knowledge Tools: Ferdinand Gutierrez, Principal of Vox Studios, introduced a voice-driven AI platform that allows companies to create agents capable of handling tasks like teaching kids math. His solution uses AI to improve efficiency, sales, and learning outcomes by enabling businesses to create custom agents that cater to their unique needs. It uses natural language processing to extract discussion points from conversations and convert them into visual knowledge maps. 
4. Low-Code App Development with AI: Angelo Yu, Head of Growth and Acquisition at Xumon, showcased their Xumon platform, which speeds up app development through AI-enhanced design and build studios. Teams can upload documents or ideas, and the platform generates app prototypes quickly, helping companies launch projects faster without needing massive development teams.
5. Conversational AI for Consultants:  Alexis Collado, Co-founder and Chief Design Officer at Swarm, presented Swarm AI OS, a system designed for consultancies. Everything runs in chat. Clients talk; the AI listens and turns conversations into specs, schedules meetings, and generates documents automatically. 
6. AI-Enhanced Payroll Management: Gian Dela Rama of Sprout Solutions presented a new AI-assisted payroll management system, Sidekick. With four modules—Multiplier, Optimizer, Watchdog, and Concierge—Sidekick automates payroll runs, detects anomalies, suggests optimizations, and provides real-time support. It keeps the payroll process fast, accurate, and scalable, blending automation with human oversight.

The “Ask the Experts” segment invited audience members to submit questions on scaling, partnerships, and AI adoption. Some of the top questions revolved around the ethical implications of AI, the role of HR in AI adoption, and regulations for AI technologies.

One insightful exchange focused on whether AI will lead to increased dependence on technology. Experts agreed that while AI can increase efficiency, it’s crucial for humans to remain involved in decision-making processes. Cliff Eala, CEO of BS Works, explained that AI should be used for first drafts and humans should provide the final edits to ensure a balance between automation and critical thinking.

Another key discussion centered on HR’s role in accelerating AI adoption. Arup Maity, President and Co-founder of Xamun, highlighted that HR plays a key role in preparing employees for the changes AI will bring. He stressed that upskilling and reskilling initiatives are essential to ensure that employees don’t become redundant.

Experts also discussed the growing need for privacy regulations surrounding AI, particularly in handling personal data. As AI becomes more integrated into daily systems, ensuring ethical use and data privacy is critical. The panel agreed that while regulations are necessary, they should allow flexibility in AI implementation.

SaaScon PH 2025 provided a strong point—AI and SaaS are transforming business operations. And an important part of this transformation is ensuring that your teams are aligned with these technologies, especially within the HR function, where adoption of AI-driven tools can significantly improve workflows and employee engagement.

If you’re ready to integrate AI and SaaS into your HR operations, Sprout HR offers everything you need to streamline payroll, enhance employee experience, and drive productivity. It’s an AI-assisted platform that helps you automate people management and payroll.

For more insights on how AI and SaaS can transform  your HR operations, visit the Sprout’s blog page.