That is half one in all a three-part sequence on how HubSpot reworked with AI. Half two covers how we develop with Agent-first GTM. Half three is how we function as an AI-first firm.
The whole lot we construct at HubSpot exists to assist our prospects develop. So when generative AI emerged, our engineering crew didn’t simply see a productiveness device; we noticed a chance to construct higher merchandise and get extra worth into prospects’ palms sooner.
And when off-the-shelf AI instruments hit their ceiling, we didn’t simply search for higher ones. We constructed the platform beneath them. That call compounded quicker than we anticipated. As a result of all of our AI is constructed on a shared basis, each new functionality we ship makes the entire system extra highly effective and prospects get a extra constant expertise throughout every thing they use.
Right this moment, we’re capable of innovate at a tempo that merely wasn’t potential earlier than. 100% of our engineers use AI, and we’ve seen a 73% enhance in traces of code written by our engineers.
We didn’t get right here in a single day. It took three phases, actual infrastructure funding, and a willingness to construct what didn’t exist but. Right here’s how we did it.
Section 1: Productiveness with Co-pilots (2023-2024)
In 2023, massive language fashions had simply crossed the brink of being genuinely helpful in a coding context. The very best resolution for utilizing AI in engineering was to start out with what was confirmed. At the moment, it was code completion: a human writes code, and AI copilots recommend what comes subsequent.
We rolled out a coding copilot and received to 30% adoption shortly. Then we pulled the incident knowledge, in contrast groups utilizing the copilot towards groups that weren’t, and proved AI adoption didn’t negatively influence the reliability of the product.
With that knowledge in hand, we eliminated the guardrails and gave everybody copilot entry. Adoption shot previous 50% in a single day. This taught us a lesson in how we make selections. Measure, show, then scale.
By the top of Section 1, 80% of engineers had been utilizing AI instruments. We noticed a 51% enchancment in engineering velocity, that means engineers had been delivery working code to manufacturing considerably quicker, and a 7% enhance in traces of code up to date per engineer. We proved AI might make each engineer quicker with out compromising product reliability.
Section 2: Scaling with Coding Brokers (2024-Mid 2025)
The following step was autonomous coding with brokers. Our groups might immediate the instruments to finish end-to-end duties. The brokers might learn context, write code, run exams, and repair errors, all whereas the engineer reviewed and steered. We felt strongly this was the way forward for engineering and dedicated totally.
The actual constraint got here shortly. Off-the-shelf coding brokers couldn’t entry inside construct techniques, our libraries, or confirm that code truly labored in our surroundings. So, we constructed these agent integrations ourselves utilizing MCP, a typical that permits AI brokers to hook up with exterior instruments and techniques, and deployed them to each engineer. To drive adoption, we organized occasions to present engineers devoted house to be taught, experiment, and construct confidence with new instruments. Agent utilization went from zero to 80% adoption in a month.
The following problem was scale. Engineers needed a number of brokers working in parallel, in a single day, with out supervision. So we constructed an agent execution platform on prime of our Kubernetes infrastructure. Each agent runs inside an remoted container that replicates an actual HubSpot developer atmosphere. Brokers compile the code, run automated exams, learn error outputs, and iterate on their very own till every thing works. No human intervention required.
By the top of Section 2, 96% of engineers had been utilizing AI instruments, engineering velocity was up 60%, and features of code up to date per engineer had elevated 48%. We had been beginning to ship higher merchandise quicker with brokers. However that was only the start.
Section 3: Scaling with our AI Platform (Mid 2025-Current)
HubSpot’s platform method to product improvement has at all times been how we’ve created extra buyer worth. After we constructed reporting and automation on the platform stage, we didn’t simply ship one function; we shipped that functionality throughout each hub concurrently. That’s how innovation compounds.
We utilized that very same logic to our AI infrastructure in Section 3. As an alternative of constructing each agent from scratch, we constructed the shared basis as soon as: how brokers entry knowledge, what actions they will take, how they connect with the remainder of HubSpot. The whole lot runs on prime of it.
The result’s that each one of our brokers are interoperable. They converse the identical language, share the identical toolsets, and draw from the identical context. A buyer will get a constant expertise no matter which agent they’re utilizing as a result of, beneath, they’re all constructed on the identical infrastructure. And since they’re all linked, each new functionality we add makes the entire system extra precious. That’s one thing a set of level options can not replicate.
And it was made potential by how we’ve scaled engineering with AI. Right this moment, 100% of our engineers use AI, traces of code up to date per engineer are up 73%, and time-to-first-feedback on pull requests has dropped by 90%. Meaning much less time ready and extra time delivery issues prospects truly use.
Why this issues: Compounding buyer worth
Having the appropriate infrastructure accelerates the tempo of innovation. For HubSpot, each agent we construct makes the platform extra highly effective. Each piece of context we add to the platform makes every agent simpler. For purchasers, which means the product retains getting higher, quicker, and extra linked.
What used to take months now takes weeks, and people weeks translate straight into new capabilities within the palms of entrepreneurs making an attempt to succeed in the appropriate viewers, reps making an attempt to shut offers, and Buyer Success Managers making an attempt to retain prospects. They don’t want to consider the platform beneath. They merely get to expertise the end result.
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