Amrit Saxena - SaxeCap | The New AI Playbook for Private Equity

Amrit Saxena, CEO of SaxeCap, shares how he and his team have led more than 100 AI transformations and advised over 40 private equity funds on using AI to expand margins, accelerate growth, and reshape value creation. His perspective matters because SaxeCap has pioneered AI-levered buyouts and proven repeatable frameworks for turning workflow inefficiencies and data assets into enterprise value. In this episode, he breaks down what actually drives returns—and what doesn’t—when applying AI inside middle-market businesses.You’ll Learn:How to evaluate AI risk and upside during diligence using business-model signals, workflow analysis, and proprietary data assetsWhy early EBITDA wins within the first 60 days are essential for building AI adoption and organizational momentumHow to quantify value from AI across labor optimization, human-capital augmentation, and AI-driven product expansionThe functional areas where AI repeatedly delivers ROI, especially customer service, operations, and engineeringHow to determine whether an AI transformation can become a defensible moat through proprietary data and distribution advantagesChapters:00:00 Intro01:00 Evolution of value creation in private equity05:15 How SaxeCap supports diligence07:00 Signals of AI risk and opportunity08:20 Speed to EBITDA impact09:50 Transforming legacy or lean organizations12:20 Cost vs. revenue value creation mix14:00 Where AI delivers repeatable ROI15:00 Common mistakes PE firms make with AI17:40 AI transformation examples22:55 Value creation ranges24:55 Generative AI transformation example27:30 Can AI be a moat?30:00 Who should reach out to SaxeCap31:20 Three AI questions for investment committees32:40 ClosingLinks:Explore more interviews and Amrit Saxena's expert profile: https://www.justcurious.io/experts/amrit-saxena"Connect with Amrit Saxena: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amrit-saxena-33432035/Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/2UigwwWcl6gProof of Work is the podcast of Pluris, a platform connecting investors and operators with the world's leading applied AI experts. Each episode features the builders, operators, and investors who've actually put AI into production, turning it from buzzword to bottom line through sharp case studies and practical conversations. We explore how AI is used to grow revenue, expand margins, improve operations, and create measurable value inside real businesses.Learn more at checkpluris.comExplore more interviews and connect with experts at https://www.checkpluris.com Subscribe to our newsletter at https://proof-of-work-ai.beehiiv.com/