Markets
Vertical AI's 6–7 Figure ACVs Revive Direct Sales and Kill PLG — PE 'AI Partners' Become a Distribution Channel
Defy's Medha Agarwal argues (Crunchbase News, June 8, 2026) that vertical AI's shift from automating software to replacing labor has pushed ACVs to 6- and 7-figures, reviving high-touch direct sales and killing the product-led-growth playbook for these categories. New distribution channels are emerging: PE firms now deploy 'AI partners' who evaluate and roll tools across portfolio companies in rollup sectors like healthcare, dental and legal.
↳ Follow the thread