出品｜虎嗅科技组 作者｜李一飞 编辑｜陈伊凡 头图｜Clay领英主页 "AI 原生 100" 是虎嗅科技组推出针对 AI 原生创新栏目，这是本系列的第「 21 」篇文章。 18个月，估值飙到 100 亿美元，到账 6.35 亿美元现金，年经常性收入逼近 1 亿美元——放在任何时 代都是"火箭"，在 AI 赛道也属罕见。 即便是在快速发展的AI创业时代，也很少见。 9 月，全球知名互联网投资公司Greenoaks Capital 又添一把火：领投 3.5 亿美元，让 Sierra 正式跻 身"百亿美金俱乐部"。 这家由前 Salesforce 联席 CEO Bret Taylor 与前谷歌高管 Clay Bavor 联手创办的 AI 客服公司，只 做一件事：用生成式 AI 替企业"包办"客户体验。成立伊始，它就按下快进键：产品上线、拿下大客 户、数据反哺模型、体验更优，飞轮越转越快。 "需求爆了。"嘉和资本 CEO 袁子恒一句话点破玄机，因为美国客服是人力"黑洞"，工资高、流动 大；恰好大模型最擅长多轮对话，企业换 AI 立竿见影。如今语音 AI 又成熟，电话端节省的人力可 量化、可计算尤其是随着AI语音技术的 ...

Core Insights - Sierra, an AI customer service company, achieved a valuation of $10 billion in just 18 months, with $635 million in cash and an annual recurring revenue nearing $100 million, marking it as a rare success in the AI sector [2][4][12] - The company focuses on enhancing customer experience through generative AI, addressing the high costs and turnover associated with human customer service [4][9][10] - Sierra's founders, Bret Taylor and Clay Bavor, leverage their extensive backgrounds in tech to drive the company's rapid growth and innovation [11][12] Company Overview - Sierra was co-founded by former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor and ex-Google executive Clay Bavor, who aimed to revolutionize customer service by using AI to understand and fulfill customer needs rather than merely executing commands [7][11] - The company has rapidly acquired major clients, including WeightWatchers and Sonos, and has expanded its customer base to hundreds across various industries such as finance, consumer goods, and healthcare [13][14] Business Model - Sierra targets medium to large enterprises, focusing on high-value contracts with an average starting price of $150,000, which allows for deep integration and customization of AI services [19][17] - The company employs an outcome-based pricing model, where clients pay for successful resolutions of customer issues rather than usage, aligning Sierra's incentives with those of its clients [32] Technology and Innovation - Sierra does not develop its own large language models but integrates various leading models into its platform, allowing flexibility for clients to choose based on their needs [23] - The company has implemented a governance mechanism to ensure data security and compliance, which includes automatic detection and encryption of personal information [26] Market Trends - The AI customer service industry is projected to continue expanding rapidly, with increasing demand for self-service solutions and intelligent customer engagement [33] - Sierra faces competition from various players in the market, including Intercom, Kore.ai, and Genesys, each offering unique features and services [33] Challenges and Future Outlook - The AI customer service sector is not without risks, including issues related to model reliability, data privacy, and evolving customer expectations [34] - Sierra's success will depend on its ability to navigate these challenges while continuing to innovate and expand its client base [34]