logo
Freshworks bets on agentic AI to drive enterprise growth in 2025

Freshworks bets on agentic AI to drive enterprise growth in 2025

Time of India22-05-2025
Nasdaq-listed SaaS firm Freshworks is positioning artificial intelligence (AI) as a growth catalyst—not a disruptor of traditional software-as-a-service (SaaS)—with plans to expand its agentic AI services by the end of 2025, according to senior executives.
'We've been doing a lot of work in generative AI (GenAI) and are using about 40 foundation models. We are using a lot of those models to build out our own stack and then make it accessible to the people. By the end of 2025, we're going to launch a lot of agentic AI services as well,' Shelton Rego, vice president - India business at Freshworks, told ET.
He was speaking on the sidelines of Freshworks' experience event in Mumbai, which showcases the company's latest tools aimed at improving customer, employee, and agent interactions.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
금액 상관없이 빚이라면 딱 6%만 갚으세요
법무법인 벗
더 알아보기
Undo
Freshworks, which began developing AI capabilities in 2019—well before the current hype cycle—has already rolled out GenAi copilots across its product suite, he said. In the third quarter of 2024 alone, it added 2,400 new Freddy AI copilot customers globally.
The company is now focussed on expanding into full-fledged agentic AI—where autonomous agents can retrieve information, take actions, and soon execute multi-step workflows across domains.
Live Events
'On the CX side, we have agents where we are already seeing close to 40-50% deflection where they are able to independently answer the questions and resolve customer queries,' said Sreedhar Gade, vice president, engineering and responsible AI at Freshworks.
Discover the stories of your interest
Blockchain
5 Stories
Cyber-safety
7 Stories
Fintech
9 Stories
E-comm
9 Stories
ML
8 Stories
Edtech
6 Stories
"In the next, maybe two quarters, we will be able to execute complex actions on behalf of a user request like booking an airplane ticket or a holiday package,' Gade added.
This evolution in AI capabilities is also expected to influence how the company prices its products, moving away from subscription- or usage-based models toward value-based pricing.
'Instead of talking about 1,000 bot sessions, I would ask how many resolutions have you made? Or how many customers said thumbs up, indicating their problem was solved, versus how many times the issue was handed off from AI to a human agent? We can translate it that way,' Gade said.
Freshworks currently works with more than 73,000 customers in over 120 countries across multiple verticals, including ecommerce, logistics, financial services, auto and manufacturing.
India continues to play a key role in Freshworks' AI strategy—not just as a market, but as a centre for talent and product development.
'India is a strategic market also because of the talent pool that we have in AI here. A lot of the AI talent today, a large majority of that, sits in India. We see that a lot of customers are also ahead of the curve in their adoption of AI and technology. So, we see a lot of that potential in India as well," said Rego.
Freshworks reported a
19% year-on-year (YoY) increase in revenue
to $196.3 million for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, up from $165.1 million a year earlier, buoyed by higher operating efficiency and increased customer adoption.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

GNG Electronics raises Rs 138 crore from anchor investors ahead of IPO launch
GNG Electronics raises Rs 138 crore from anchor investors ahead of IPO launch

Time of India

time29 minutes ago

  • Time of India

GNG Electronics raises Rs 138 crore from anchor investors ahead of IPO launch

GNG Electronics , refurbisher of laptops and desktops, on Tuesday raised Rs 138 crore from anchor investors , ahead of the opening of its IPO for public subscription. Goldman Sachs Fund, Motilal Oswal Mutual Fund, Buoyant Opportunities Strategy, Edelweiss Mutual Fund, and Mirae Asset Mutual Fund have been allotted shares in the anchor round, according to a circular uploaded on BSE's website. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Degree MCA Management MBA Cybersecurity Product Management Leadership Operations Management Data Science Others Public Policy Healthcare Finance Data Analytics Data Science Project Management others Digital Marketing PGDM healthcare CXO Artificial Intelligence Technology Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategic Leadership and Transformation Global Business Acumen Comprehensive Business Expertise Duration: 2 Years University of Western Australia UWA Global MBA Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo As per the circular, GNG Electronics has allotted 58,28,290 equity shares to 14 funds at Rs 237 apiece. This takes the total transaction size to Rs 138.13 crore. The Rs 460-crore initial public offering (IPO) will open for subscription on July 23 and conclude on July 25. The price band has been set at Rs 225 to 237 per share. At the upper end of the price band, the company's market valuation is over Rs 2,700 crore. Live Events The IPO is a combination of a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating to 400 crore and an offer for sale (OFS) of 25.5 lakh equity shares by promoters worth Rs 60.43 crore at the upper end of the price band. This takes the total issue size to Rs 460.43 crore. Proceeds of the fresh issue will be utilised for the debt payment, funding working capital requirements and for general corporate purposes. GNG Electronics is one of the leading refurbishers of laptops and desktops with significant presence across India, the US, Europe, Africa, and the UAE. The company operates under the brand "Electronics Bazaar", with presence across the full refurbishment value chain from sourcing to refurbishment to sales, to after-sale services and providing warranty. The company's comprehensive process of refurbishment of ICT devices such as laptops, desktops, tablets, servers, premium smartphones, mobile workstations, and accessories ensures that such devices are similar to new in terms of both performance and aesthetics, and able to offer laptops at one-third price of new devices and other devices like desktops, tablets, servers, premium smart phones, mobile workstations and accessories at 35-50 per cent price of new devices. Motilal Oswal Investment Advisors, IIFL Capital Services , and JM Financial are the book-running lead managers to the issue. The company is expected to list on the bourses on July 30.

Trump hails $550 billion agreement with Japan as ‘largest trade deal', claims US to gain 90% profits
Trump hails $550 billion agreement with Japan as ‘largest trade deal', claims US to gain 90% profits

Time of India

time31 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Trump hails $550 billion agreement with Japan as ‘largest trade deal', claims US to gain 90% profits

On Tuesday night in Washington, US President Donald Trump announced what he described as a breakthrough trade agreement with Japan , following months of stalled negotiations and tariff threats. 'We just completed a massive Deal with Japan, perhaps the largest Deal ever made. Japan will invest, at my direction, $550 Billion Dollars into the United States, which will receive 90% of the Profits. This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it,' Trump posted on Truth Social . Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Data Science PGDM MCA CXO Project Management Healthcare Product Management Data Analytics Digital Marketing Technology healthcare MBA others Operations Management Others Finance Degree Public Policy Artificial Intelligence Leadership Management Data Science Cybersecurity Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Strategic Data-Analysis, including Data Mining & Preparation Predictive Modeling & Advanced Clustering Techniques Machine Learning Concepts & Regression Analysis Cutting-edge applications of AI, like NLP & Generative AI Duration: 8 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Starts on Jun 26, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Data Analysis & Interpretation Programming Proficiency Problem-Solving Skills Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Duration: 24 Months Vellore Institute of Technology VIT MSc in Data Science Starts on Aug 14, 2024 Get Details Later that evening, at a reception with Republican lawmakers at the White House , he repeated the scale of the agreement. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Elegant New Scooters For Seniors In 2024: The Prices May Surprise You Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Learn More Undo 'I just signed the largest trade deal in history; I think maybe the largest deal in history with Japan. They had their top people here, and we worked on it long and hard. And it's a great deal for everybody,' he said. What the deal includes According to CNN, the agreement introduces a 15% reciprocal tariff on Japanese goods entering the US. Japan, in turn, will open its markets to key American exports such as cars, trucks, rice , and agricultural products. Live Events 'Perhaps most importantly, Japan will open their Country to Trade including Cars and Trucks, Rice and certain other Agricultural Products, and other things. Japan will pay Reciprocal Tariffs to the United States of 15%,' Trump said in another Truth Social post. He did not specify how the $550 billion investment would be structured, nor how profits would be calculated. No official documentation outlining the deal has yet been released by either side. Trump closed his remarks by calling the moment 'a very exciting time for the United States of America, and especially for the fact that we will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan.' Rice and Cars: Key points of disagreement Trade in rice was one of the more contentious topics in negotiations. Just weeks ago, Trump had written, 'They won't take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage,' again on Truth Social. Japan imported $298 million worth of US rice last year, and $114 million between January and April of this year, according to CNN. But American exporters have long complained about the difficulty of entering Japan's market. A 2021 report by the Office of the United States Trade Representative under then-President Joe Biden stated, 'Japan's highly regulated and non-transparent system of importation and distribution for rice limits the ability of US exporters to have meaningful access to Japan's consumers.' Cars were another sticking point. Earlier this month, Trump remarked, 'We didn't give them one car in 10 years.' However, data from the Japan Automobile Importers Association shows Japan imported 16,707 American-made vehicles in 2024. Tensions before the deal Both sides had signalled frustration with the drawn-out process. In June, when asked about a deal's prospects, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, 'They're tough. The Japanese are tough.' In early July, Trump sent a formal letter to Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba threatening a 30% tariff on Japanese goods if no deal was reached by 1 August. That followed a 24% reciprocal tariff placed earlier this year, which had been paused for 90 days from April amid global market unrest. The clock ticking towards August gave talks a renewed urgency. The Japan agreement was one of three trade announcements Trump made on Tuesday, alongside pending deals with the European Union and others. Japan's cautious response Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has not confirmed the full terms of the agreement. 'As for what to make of the outcome of the negotiations, I am not able to discuss it until after we carefully examine the details of the negotiations and the agreement,' Ishiba told reporters on Wednesday. Japan's chief trade negotiator, Ryosei Akazawa, posted on Facebook that he had visited the White House with the caption 'Mission accomplished.' Back home, Ishiba faces political pressure after his Liberal Democratic Party lost its majority in Japan's upper house over the weekend. The party had already lost control of the more powerful lower house last year, leaving Ishiba's leadership on unstable ground. Market reactions and expert views Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 rose by 2% on Wednesday morning, buoyed by investor optimism. Shares in Toyota , Nissan, and Honda climbed after Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that tariffs on Japanese carmakers might be reduced. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who met with Ishiba in Tokyo days before the announcement, struck an optimistic tone. 'A good deal is more important than a rushed deal, and a mutually beneficial trade agreement between the United States and Japan remains within the realm of possibility,' Bessent posted on X. Mary Lovely, a trade expert at the Peterson Institute, told CNN, 'The 'deal' relieves Japan of the 25% tariff threat and puts it potentially in a competitive position vis a vis similar US suppliers. The US is unlikely to sell many cars and trucks… from the US. Agricultural liberalisation (is) a win for Japanese consumers, assuming they are willing to try excellent California rice.' Japan remains one of the US's most important trading partners. It was the fifth-largest source of imports in 2024, shipping $148 billion worth of goods to the US. These included cars, auto parts, and industrial machinery. Meanwhile, the US exported $80 billion worth of goods to Japan, including oil, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace technology. Japan is also the largest foreign holder of US debt, owning $1.1 trillion in Treasury securities. That gives Tokyo some leverage in negotiations, though it is also balancing trade ties with China, its biggest trading partner. The new deal follows a 2019 expanded trade pact between the two countries, which came into effect in 2020 and allowed more goods to move duty-free. Tuesday's announcement suggests a shift toward more aggressive tariff-based policy under Trump, who continues to press allies to reduce trade with China. With the August 1 deadline looming, attention now turns to the full release of terms and how Japan will formally respond. The White House has yet to issue an official fact sheet.

Oil rises on Japan trade deal and stronger demand indicated by US inventories
Oil rises on Japan trade deal and stronger demand indicated by US inventories

Time of India

time43 minutes ago

  • Time of India

Oil rises on Japan trade deal and stronger demand indicated by US inventories

BEIJING -Oil prices steadied in early trading on Wednesday after falling for three consecutive sessions as a U.S. trade deal with Japan signaled progress on tariffs and a poll showed U.S. crude stockpiles fell last week, indicating stronger demand. Brent crude futures rose 33 cents, or 0.48%, to $68.92 a barrel by 0023 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 33 cents, or 0.51%, to $65.64 per barrel. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category PGDM Project Management others Healthcare Data Science Finance CXO healthcare Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Digital Marketing Product Management Management Operations Management Leadership Public Policy Data Analytics Others Degree MCA Data Science MBA Cybersecurity Technology Skills you'll gain: Financial Analysis & Decision Making Quantitative & Analytical Skills Organizational Management & Leadership Innovation & Entrepreneurship Duration: 24 Months IMI Delhi Post Graduate Diploma in Management (Online) Starts on Sep 1, 2024 Get Details by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that the U.S. and Japan had struck a trade deal that includes a 15% tariff on U.S. imports from Japan. He also said Japan had agreed on $550 billion in investments in the U.S. Oil had fallen in the previous session after the EU said it was considering countermeasures against U.S. tariffs, as hope faded for a deal ahead of the August 1 deadline. And U.S. crude oil stockpiles were expected to have fallen last week, along with distillate and gasoline inventories, an extended Reuters poll showed on Tuesday. Live Events Nine analysts polled by Reuters ahead of weekly inventory data estimated on average that crude inventories fell by about 1.6 million barrels in the week to July 18. U.S. crude and gasoline stocks fell last week while distillate inventories rose, market sources said, citing American Petroleum Institute figures on Tuesday. In another bullish sign for the market, the U.S. energy secretary said on Tuesday that the U.S. would consider sanctioning Russian oil to end the war in Ukraine. The EU on Friday agreed its 18th sanctions package against Russia, lowering the price cap for Russian crude. But analysts said a lack of U.S. participation would hinder the effectiveness of the package.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store