Curative expanded its AI-built software strategy beyond CRM after dropping a roughly $600,000-a-year Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) contract, saying internally developed systems cut administrative costs, while Salesforce warned that running secure and compliant software at scale remained a major challenge.
Curative Looks Beyond Salesforce
Curative spokesperson told Benzinga that its AI software strategy extends beyond customer relationship management, with claims administration, provider contracting and credentialing among the areas it sees as candidates for internally built systems.
The health plan said provider credentialing, which previously took two to three months, now takes roughly 12 hours, while contracting costs have fallen from $1,500-$2,000 per deal to about $70.
"We don’t start by asking what software to replace," Curative said.
They added, "We start by asking where administrative complexity is getting in the way of members and providers."
"AI changes the economics of building software," the company added.
Curative Emphasizes AI Software Control
Curative said AI makes it practical to develop software tailored to its operations rather than adapting its business to generic platforms.
The company also stressed that faster development does not eliminate the need for engineering oversight.
Before moving real volume onto internally built systems, Curative said it compared results with its previous systems "claim by claim" until discrepancies were accounted for.
"AI accelerates development," Curative said.
The company added, "Strong engineering, rigorous governance and operational discipline are what make software dependable."
Control Becomes the Bigger Advantage
Curative said lower software costs are only an immediate benefit. The larger advantage is control over its systems, data and development timeline.
By connecting internally built systems, the company said it can identify issues sooner, make faster decisions and improve member and provider experiences without waiting for vendors to prioritize features or release updates.
"Over time, that combination of connected data, faster decision-making, and greater control becomes a meaningful competitive advantage," Curative said.
Curative Builds AI-Powered CRM
Salesforce is defending its enterprise software model after Curative CEO Fred Turner said the healthcare company abandoned a $600,000-a-year contract and built an AI-powered CRM internally in about two months.
Turner’s decision highlights how AI coding tools, often called "vibecoding," could challenge traditional software-as-a-service companies by allowing businesses to build customized applications faster and potentially at lower costs.
Salesforce pushed back, arguing that creating software is only part of the challenge.
"AI has made writing code easy," a Salesforce spokesperson told Benzinga.
The spokesperson added, "Running that software inside a business, securely, compliantly, and under real governance, where it touches customer data, revenue, and the daily operations of sales and service teams, is work that few organizations can sustain on their own."
Salesforce Warns About AI Software Risks
The company said internally developed systems leave businesses responsible for "every model update, security patch, regulatory change, audit, and recertification."
Salesforce said that burden is particularly significant in regulated industries such as healthcare.
The company cited Gartner research warning that vibe-coded applications without appropriate safeguards could increase software defects by 2,500%.
Salesforce also said more than 150,000 companies rely on its platform for mission-critical workloads and highlighted healthcare provider Precina Health, which uses Agentforce to unify patient data in a HIPAA-compliant deployment.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: CryptoFX / Shutterstock
Login to comment