AI will define the next wave of scaling for SMBs: NetSuite’s Evan Goldberg

NetSuite Inc., a US-based enterprise software company and a part of tech giant Oracle, which provides enterprise software on cloud for small and medium-sized businesses, is placing artificial intelligence (AI) at the core of enterprise growth.

At the company’s annual SuiteWorld 2025 conference in Las Vegas, founder and executive vice president Evan Goldberg, in an exclusive interview with TechCircle, said that as global firms race to automate and scale, long-term success will depend on unifying data, intelligent automation and mastering industry context — with AI serving as the glue that binds it all together. He further explained how AI is redefining enterprise software, why India’s SMBs are poised for an AI-led leap, and the company’s roadmap for the next phase of digital transformation.

Goldberg’s comments come as NetSuite positions itself at the intersection of enterprise software and intelligent automation. The veteran technologist, who founded the company in 1998 and continues to lead its product strategy and development since its 2016 acquisition by Oracle, believes scaling sustainably requires three interlinked capabilities — a platform-first approach, an automation strategy, and industry depth.

“Instead of patching tools together, you need a holistic or unified data and process core that can adapt and scale,” he said. “Automation should go beyond rote tasks to intelligent workflows that free people for higher-value work. And deep domain fit — whether in retail, manufacturing, or services — gives you the competitive edge. AI enables you to operationalise all three in one sweep.”

What sets NetSuite apart, he added, is its effort to embed AI natively into the platform rather than treat it as a peripheral feature. “AI should be part of business logic — detecting anomalies, suggesting actions, even executing under guardrails,” Goldberg said. He pointed to the company’s generative AI assistant, which helps analyse business data conversationally, and an upcoming exception-management tool for finance that automatically flags and contextualises outliers.

In India, AI adoption among mid-market enterprises remains relatively nascent, but Goldberg sees strong momentum. According to recent industry data, nearly 78% of Indian SMBs are using or experimenting with AI tools such as chatbots, marketing automation, or content generation — and over 90% of those report measurable revenue growth. For NetSuite, that’s a sign of a market ready to scale with intelligence.

“Take a chain of cafés or retail outlets,” Goldberg explained. “They need inventory visibility, demand forecasting, and financial control — all classic ERP use cases. When you layer AI on top, you unlock predictive insights and real-time decision-making." The company is already seeing Indian brands like Chai Point leverage that agility across retail, delivery, and finance.

Despite the growing excitement around AI, Goldberg stressed that human capability remains central. “I’m a people person,” he said on his leadership style. “AI is not here to take jobs — it’s here to lift burdens. Automation should handle repetitive tasks so that employees can focus on creativity, judgment, and strategy.” He believes that upskilling will be critical, both for NetSuite partners and end-users. “Customers must learn to think in terms of AI agents, orchestration, and control loops. Partners will shift from configuration to AI coaching and oversight. That’s how the ecosystem matures.”

At the keynote session on Tuesday, Goldberg also offered a preview of NetSuite Next, the company’s upcoming generation of context-aware automation suite. Designed to make AI a natural extension of daily workflows, the system will execute tasks autonomously within business policies. “Next requires deep integration, data discipline, and change management,” he said. “If you treat it as a superficial upgrade, you won’t see returns. The power lies in making AI a partner in operations.”

As part of its India roadmap, NetSuite has expanded its infrastructure footprint with new data centers in Mumbai and Hyderabad, aimed at improving latency, ensuring regulatory compliance, and supporting data residency for local clients. Goldberg said the company will also deepen ties with Indian cloud integrators, launch sector-specific accelerators for retail and D2C brands, and push into tier-II and tier-III markets.

He acknowledged challenges such as skill shortages, AI scepticism, and transformation costs but remains optimistic. “These are short-term hurdles. As more success stories emerge, more talent and investment will follow,” he said.

Calling it a defining moment for SMBs worldwide — including in India — Goldberg said, “Cloud was the big wave; AI is the next. If you act now, you can skip decades of legacy and catch up fast.”

(The journalist was invited to attend SuiteWorld 2025 by NetSuite Inc. in Las Vegas, USA)