If you’re here, you’re probably trying to make sense of Inflection AI’s pricing, and trust me, you’re not the only one. The company made a huge splash with its emotionally intelligent AI, Pi. But after a massive deal with Microsoft, finding a straightforward price tag has become almost impossible, leaving a lot of people scratching their heads.
So, what’s really going on?
Let’s cut through the noise. We’ll look at what Inflection AI is, what its tech does, and how its business model has been turned on its head. More importantly, we’ll cover what this means for you and why transparency is so important when you’re picking an AI partner.
What is Inflection AI?
Inflection AI showed up with a pretty different mission: to create AI that was more human-centered and emotionally intelligent. This wasn’t about building yet another tool to churn out reports or summarize meetings. The goal was to make AI that felt more like a companion you could actually talk to.
Their main creation, Pi (short for Personal Intelligence), was designed to be a supportive, conversational sidekick. Think of it as an AI you could chat with for advice, vent to after a long day, or just bounce ideas off of. It was built to listen, remember what you talked about, and offer genuinely empathetic responses.
This video explains how Inflection AI's flagship product, Pi, was created as a kind and supportive personal AI companion, which is relevant to understanding the original vision before the changes to Inflection AI pricing.
Founded by some big names from DeepMind and LinkedIn, Inflection AI quickly got a lot of attention and funding, eventually hitting a $4 billion valuation. At first, they were clearly focused on people looking for a tool for mental wellness, journaling, or just having a non-judgmental chat. It was a fresh idea in a market full of bots built only for productivity.
Key features that defined Inflection AI
So what made Inflection AI and its chatbot Pi so different? It really came down to a few core abilities that made it feel less like a typical AI assistant.
Here’s what it was known for:
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Natural conversations: At its core, Inflection AI was built for back-and-forth dialogue. It was good at holding supportive, empathetic chats that felt a lot more natural and less robotic than many other AIs out there.
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AI that fits your vibe: For its business customers, the promise was an AI that could be shaped to match a company’s specific culture and tone of voice. This meant the AI wouldn’t just spit out answers; it would communicate in a way that felt like it truly belonged to your brand.
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A coworker, not just a copilot: The idea for businesses was to give employees a helpful partner, not just a mindless assistant. The AI was meant to offer thoughtful insights and suggestions to help teams, almost like another collaborator in the room.
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Serious security: Inflection AI also put a lot of emphasis on security, meeting SOC 2 Type 2 compliance standards and making sure businesses had full ownership of their data and AI models.
These features were useful for both individuals and businesses. For personal users, Pi became a go-to for daily journaling, helping with stress, brainstorming ideas, or just having a friendly conversation. For companies, the tech was positioned as a secure way to build custom AI for internal use, especially in fields like finance, healthcare, and tech where data privacy is a big deal.
The Microsoft deal: A major shift in direction
Just as Inflection AI was gaining steam, the story took a sharp turn. In early 2024, Microsoft announced it was hiring co-founders Mustafa Suleyman and Karén Simonyan, along with most of Inflection’s 70-person team, to run its new consumer AI division.
While it wasn’t a straight-up acquisition, it might as well have been. A Fast Company report later revealed that Microsoft paid Inflection AI $653 million as part of a licensing deal. This agreement lets Microsoft sell access to Inflection’s powerful AI models through its Azure cloud platform.
This video discusses the implications of Inflection AI's co-founder moving to Microsoft, providing context on the significant shift in the company's direction and its impact on Inflection AI pricing.
This move effectively changed Inflection AI from a company making its own products to one that licenses its tech to others. Its core technology is now being woven into Microsoft’s world, mainly to beef up products like Copilot.
For anyone who wanted to use Inflection’s technology, this was a massive change. The original vision for Pi is now up in the air, and getting access to the company’s powerful enterprise models is no longer simple. Instead, it’s all tied up in enterprise-level deals with Microsoft, which completely changes the conversation around Inflection AI pricing and who can actually use it.
What is the actual Inflection AI pricing?
Let’s get right to it: Inflection AI doesn’t have public pricing plans anymore. If you go to its website today, you won’t find a pricing page or a "buy now" button for its main technology.
The reason is simple. After the Microsoft deal, the company’s focus is now entirely on B2B licensing, mostly through Microsoft Azure. This means pricing is now "Custom" and you can only get a quote by talking to a sales team, a pretty standard setup for big enterprise software. The free Pi app still exists, but its future and connection to the main business are unclear.
For most businesses, this new reality creates a few headaches:
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No way to just try it: You can’t just sign up and start playing around with their core enterprise tech. The only way in is through a long sales process.
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Zero transparency: Without public pricing, it’s impossible to figure out a budget or compare Inflection AI to other tools without getting on a bunch of sales calls.
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Built for the big guys: This model is designed for huge companies that are used to dealing with complex contracts and custom quotes. It pretty much leaves startups and mid-sized companies on the sidelines.
For modern teams, especially in support and IT, this kind of setup just doesn’t fly. You need tools that are fast, flexible, and have costs you can actually predict.
A transparent alternative to Inflection AI pricing: eesel AI
The frustration of dealing with hidden pricing and endless sales calls is something we all know. If you’re looking for a powerful AI solution you can actually try out and budget for today, you need a different approach. That’s where a platform like eesel AI comes in. It was built for businesses that care about transparency, speed, and being in control.
eesel AI is a direct answer to the problems presented by the new Inflection AI model:
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Go live in minutes, not months: eesel AI is a self-serve platform. You can connect your help desk (like Zendesk or Freshdesk), sync your knowledge sources (like Google Docs or Confluence), and build your first AI agent in just a few minutes. No mandatory demos or sales calls needed to get going.
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Transparent and predictable pricing: Unlike the new Inflection model, eesel AI has clear, public pricing plans. You know exactly what you’re paying for, and there are no surprise per-resolution fees that can blow up your budget. This lets you plan ahead and scale without worrying about hidden costs.
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Test with confidence: Not sure how an AI will perform? eesel AI has a simulation mode that lets you test your setup on thousands of your past tickets before you go live. You can see how it will respond, get a forecast of your resolution rate, and measure your potential return on investment without any risk.
A screenshot of the eesel AI simulation feature, which allows users to test their setup on past tickets and forecast performance, offering a transparent alternative to unclear Inflection AI pricing.Here’s a quick look at eesel AI’s straightforward pricing:
| Plan | Monthly Price | AI Interactions/mo | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | $299 | Up to 1,000 | Train on websites/docs, Copilot for help desk, Slack integration. |
| Business | $799 | Up to 3,000 | Everything in Team + train on past tickets, custom AI Actions, bulk simulation. |
| Custom | Contact Sales | Unlimited | Advanced security, multi-agent orchestration, custom integrations. |
Choosing a transparent AI partner
Inflection AI started out with a really interesting vision for empathetic, conversational AI. But its deal with Microsoft has completely changed the company, shifting its focus to the very top of the enterprise market and making its technology and pricing out of reach for most businesses.
For teams that need to move quickly, the best AI partner is one that offers transparency, control, and a fast path to getting things done. You shouldn’t have to guess what something costs or spend weeks in sales meetings just to try it out.
That’s why platforms like eesel AI are built for how modern teams actually work. It gives you the power to automate your support workflows quickly and efficiently, with a clear picture of costs and performance right from the start.
Ready to see how an AI support agent can work for you, without the enterprise sales pitch? Start your free eesel AI trial or book a demo with our team.
Frequently asked questions
Inflection AI no longer offers public pricing plans. Its business model has shifted to B2B licensing, primarily through Microsoft Azure, meaning pricing is now custom and requires engaging with a sales team.
The difficulty stems from Inflection AI’s strategic shift after its deal with Microsoft. The company now focuses on licensing its powerful AI models to large enterprises, moving away from a direct-to-customer product model with transparent costs.
The Microsoft deal transformed Inflection AI into a technology licensor, integrating its models into Microsoft’s ecosystem. This means access and pricing for its enterprise-level AI are now tied to Microsoft’s Azure platform and its sales processes, making direct access and transparent pricing impossible.
No, the free Pi app exists separately. Its future and connection to Inflection AI’s core enterprise business, which now primarily licenses its technology via Microsoft Azure, are unclear and distinct from any custom enterprise pricing models.
The current pricing model is geared towards large enterprises accustomed to dealing with complex contracts and custom quotes. It is not designed for startups, small, or mid-sized businesses seeking self-serve options or transparent, predictable costs.
Accessing Inflection AI’s core technology for small or mid-sized businesses is highly challenging. The company’s focus is on custom enterprise deals through Microsoft, which typically involves a lengthy sales process and large-scale agreements not suited for smaller operations.
For businesses seeking transparency, predictability, and self-serve options, the blog highlights platforms like eesel AI. These alternatives offer clear, public pricing plans and allow for quick setup without lengthy sales processes.
