AI SDRs are here: How CMOs are putting AI agents on the front lines of pipeline

Shownotes

AI agents are no longer an experiment. They are actively reshaping how modern B2B teams generate pipeline. In this episode of the OnBase podcast, Chris Moody sits down with Maura Rivera, CMO at Qualified, to unpack the rise of AI SDR agents and what it really takes to put them into production.

Maura shares how Qualified introduced one of the first AI SDRs, why they intentionally framed it as a job role instead of a tool, and how CMOs can adopt agents using a crawl, walk, run, fly approach without disrupting teams or buyer experience. The conversation dives deep into inbound pipeline automation, brand trust, agent coaching, cross-functional alignment, and why 2025 marked the shift from AI hype to real operational impact.

If you are a marketing or revenue leader navigating AI, pipeline pressure, and buyer behavior changes, this episode offers a practical blueprint for using agents to regain control of go-to-market execution.

Best Moments

• 01:22
  Maura shares her journey from Salesforce to helping build Qualified from zero revenue.
• 03:31
  Why 2025 marked the real shift from AI tools to AI agents in B2B.
• 06:23
  What an AISDR actually is and why inbound is the best place to start.
• 08:46
  How crawl, walk, run, fly makes AI SDR adoption realistic and safe.
• 10:50
  Why Qualified now runs its entire inbound funnel through a single AI SDR.
• 14:44
  How to protect brand voice and buyer experience when deploying agents.
• 17:54
  The internal alignment required to make AISDRs work across revenue teams.
• 17:54
  Why buyer research moving to LLMs is changing everything about go-to-market.

Key insights from this episode

• AI agents represent a fundamental go-to-market shift, not another short-term marketing trend.
• AI SDRs work best when positioned as teammates with defined responsibilities, not just software features.
• A crawl, walk, run, fly framework reduces risk and accelerates adoption of AI SDRs.
• Inbound SDR roles are especially suited for agent automation due to speed, scale, and consistency demands.
• Brand voice and buyer trust require ongoing coaching and feedback, even with AI agents.
• Agent orchestration across marketing, sales, and revenue operations is critical for success.
• CMOs can regain control of pipeline by deploying agents at the most painful bottlenecks.
• Standing out in a crowded AI market requires real customer results, not generic “AI-powered” messaging.

Quotes

“You cannot set an agent and forget it. Coaching is everything.”

Tech recommendations

• Qualified Piper
• NotebookLM
• Relevance AI
• Gong

Resource recommendations

Podcasts:

• Pipeline Visionaries
• The Agentic Marketer
• Good Hang with Amy Poehler

Shout-outs

• Liza Adams, AI Advisor & GTM Strategist at GrowthPath Partners
• Sydney Sloan, CMO Advisor at G2
• Susan Ganeshan, CMO at Emplifi
• Wendy Werve, CMO at Comply
• Lisa Sharapata, CMO, AI & GTM Strategy at Metadata

About the Guest

Maura serves as the Chief Marketing Officer at Qualified, the agentic marketing platform leading hundreds of customers into a new era of marketing with Piper the AI SDR agent. Prior to Qualified, Maura spent time leading marketing teams at GetFeedback, Campaign Monitor, and Salesforce. She lives in the Bay Area with her family.

Connect with Maura.