Why Salesforce is killing pay-per-use
Inside: Shopify's new Agentic stores, a $25 deep-work agent, and why you should learn systems, not syntax.
Welcome to issue #92 of FutureBrief. Three times a week I share practical insights on AI & automation trends, tools, and tutorials for business leaders. If you need support on your technological journey, join our community and get access to group chat, Q&As, workshops, and templates.
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đŽ Todayâs insights
Salesforce Pivots Agentforce Pricing Back to Seats
After pushing consumption-based pricing, Salesforce is reportedly moving back to seat-based licensing for its Agentforce platform. This signals a broader industry realization that businesses hate unpredictable bills. Expect to see unlimited flat-rate AI contracts become the premium standard for enterprise software in 2026.
Shopify Agentic Storefronts Puts Products in ChatGPT
Shopifyâs Winter â26 update allows products to be discovered and purchased directly inside AI interfaces like ChatGPT and Perplexity. With data showing an 11x increase in orders from AI search, this is a critical signal that your SEO strategy needs to pivot immediately toward AI Optimization (AIO) structured data.
Incredible Launches Agent MAX for Deep Work
Incredible has released a new agent engine specifically designed to avoid âloopsâ and hallucinations in long-running tasks. For SMBs, this $25/month tool is a viable alternative to hiring human virtual assistants for complex, multi-step CRM maintenance or research tasks that usually break standard AI bots.
CyberCut AI Automates Viral Video Repurposing
A new tool called CyberCut AI automatically slices long-form content like webinars into short, social-ready clips with smart highlight detection. This allows small marketing teams to maintain an active presence on TikTok or Reels using existing assets, costing just $6.60/month compared to expensive video editors.
đĄ The variable cost trap is closing
For two years, the industry pushed consumption-based pricing. They wanted us to pay per token, per task, or per credit.
Now, Salesforce is pivoting back to seat-based pricing for Agentforce.
Why is this happening? Because businesses hate unpredictable bills. A CFO cannot budget for a tool that might cost $100 this month and $1,000 next month just because an agent got stuck in a loop.
We are entering the flat rate era of AI. Businesses will happily pay a premium for predictability.
I am advising business owners to look for these flat-rate contracts now. If you are buying AI tools, try to lock in flat-rate pricing before vendors realize how much compute you are actually going to use.
The all-you-can-eat buffet is open today, but it wonât stay cheap forever.
đŹ Community Q&A
Q: âIâm a non-technical founder. Should I learn to code, or just learn to prompt Claude/Cursor?â
A: Donât learn syntax. Learn systems.
You need to understand logic to direct the AI. You must know what a loop is, what a variable is, and how databases talk to each other.
If you understand the architecture, you can let Incredible or Claude build the actual automations. Let the AI write the brackets and semicolons.
You be the architect. Let the AI be the bricklayer.
đ§ Tools & Resources
Incredible (Agent MAX): Autonomous agents that handle complex, multi-step workflows without getting stuck. Best for Operations teams automating repetitive CRM or data research tasks.
CyberCut AI: Auto-slices long videos into viral social clips with smart highlighting. Best for Marketing teams sitting on hours of Zoom/Webinar footage.
Docker MCP Toolkit: Securely run AI agents locally with access to your file system. Best for Technical founders building secure, private internal agents.
Taskade: AI-powered workspace for outlining projects and automating tasks. Best for Remote teams who need project management mixed with AI agents.
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Forward this to a colleague whoâs wrestling with manual processes. Theyâll thank you.
Whatâs your take on todayâs topics? Did you like it, or is there something I missed?
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