The business landscape is shifting dramatically in 2025, and I believe we’re witnessing one of the most significant transformations since the digital revolution began. Having observed these changes firsthand, I’m convinced that artificial intelligence—particularly AI agents—will fundamentally alter how businesses operate, creating massive opportunities for companies positioned at this intersection.
As someone who’s watched HubSpot evolve from a marketing tool to a comprehensive platform, I see a clear parallel between past efficiency improvements and today’s AI revolution. Years ago, we measured wasted time with stopwatches to identify inefficiencies in sales processes. Today, we need to apply that same scrutiny to our current workflows to see where AI can eliminate manual tasks.
The Platform Evolution
HubSpot has transformed into a true platform ecosystem with three distinct customer groups:
- End customers who pay for the software
- Solution partners who implement and customize the platform
- Application developers who build on and connect with the platform
This ecosystem now includes approximately 4,000 solution partners and nearly 1,800 application partners. The strength of this network creates a powerful flywheel effect—as HubSpot grows its customer base, it becomes more attractive to partners, which in turn makes the platform more valuable to customers.
Building a true platform isn’t just about technology—it’s about creating an ecosystem where multiple constituencies can thrive together. For partners considering where to invest their resources, this growing ecosystem represents a significant opportunity.
The AI Agent Revolution
The most dramatic shift I’m witnessing is the emergence of AI agents. I’ve experienced this transformation personally by creating my own AI agent (bhalligan.ai) that can interact via text, voice, and video. Initially built to handle student office hours I couldn’t personally accommodate, this agent has become increasingly valuable as it learns from my content and interactions.
Within a year, I expect these agents to become ubiquitous. You might invite me to a meeting, but my agent shows up instead. These agents will take notes, access emails, join video calls, and essentially function as digital extensions of ourselves. Companies will have agents. Individuals will have multiple agents. The productivity implications are enormous.
There’s a good line that you’re not going to be put out of work by AI. You’re going to be put out of work by somebody really proficient with AI.
The Structured-Unstructured Data Opportunity
Traditional SaaS platforms like HubSpot excel at handling structured data—organizing information in databases and providing access through menus and search. AI excels at processing unstructured data—emails, conversations, documents, and more.
The combination of these approaches creates powerful new possibilities. Users will chat with their data, create avatars from it, and access information through natural language rather than navigating menus. This shift creates two major opportunities for partners:
- For solution partners: Develop AI audit services that help companies assess their processes, recommend configurations, implement agents, and transform operations
- For app partners: Build specialized agents on top of HubSpot that leverage both structured and unstructured data
We’re already seeing this evolution as partners like Amplitude, Fireflies, and Fathom pull data from HubSpot, enrich it, and push insights back—creating a virtuous cycle that benefits everyone in the ecosystem.
The Future of Work
This transformation will enable businesses to scale without proportionally increasing headcount. Teams will become leaner yet more effective as AI handles routine tasks and augments human capabilities. For partners, this represents an opportunity to deliver transformational value rather than incremental improvements.
2025 marks a pivotal moment in this journey. Those who embrace these changes—both as businesses and as individuals—will thrive. Those who resist will struggle to remain competitive. It’s a bad time to be a late adopter.
For partners considering where to focus their efforts, the combination of HubSpot’s growing ecosystem, commitment to partner success, and leadership in applying AI to business challenges makes it an ideal platform to build upon. The companies that help customers navigate this transition will find themselves at the center of one of the most significant business transformations of our time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How will AI agents change day-to-day business operations?
AI agents will transform business operations by handling routine tasks like scheduling meetings, taking notes, answering common questions, and analyzing data. They’ll function as digital extensions of employees, allowing businesses to scale their operations without proportionally increasing headcount. This shift will enable teams to focus on higher-value activities while AI handles repetitive work.
Q: What opportunities does the HubSpot ecosystem present for partners?
The HubSpot ecosystem offers significant opportunities for both solution and application partners. Solution partners can develop specialized services around AI implementation, conducting audits and helping businesses transform their operations. Application partners can build on HubSpot’s platform, creating specialized tools that leverage both structured and unstructured data. As HubSpot continues to grow its customer base, these partnership opportunities become increasingly valuable.
Q: How should businesses prepare for the AI transformation?
Businesses should start by examining their current workflows to identify where manual processes could be automated or enhanced with AI. Consider conducting an AI audit to assess your readiness and identify high-impact opportunities. Invest in training your team to work effectively with AI tools, as the competitive advantage will go to those who can skillfully leverage these technologies. Remember that early adopters will gain significant advantages over those who wait.
Q: What’s the relationship between structured and unstructured data in the future of business?
The future of business technology lies in combining structured data (organized in databases) with unstructured data (emails, conversations, documents). Traditional software excels at handling structured data, while AI is particularly good with unstructured information. By bringing these approaches together, businesses can create more natural interfaces (like chatting with your data), extract deeper insights, and automate complex processes that involve both types of information. This convergence will make business systems more powerful and accessible.
