In this episode of DRUID Talks, we explore the groundbreaking innovations in conversational and generative AI that revolutionize business interactions. Discover how DRUID, a $100 million AI startup, is advancing its market presence through key partnerships, including a strategic collaboration with OpenAI via Microsoft Azure. Learn about seamless AI integration, success stories with top clients like Regina Maria and BCR, and the future of AI-driven business dynamics.
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Kieran Gilmurray:
Welcome to this episode of DRUID Talks featuring Raluca, VP of Sales at DRUID, the AI startup valued at $100 million. Renowned for its advancements in Conversational and Generative AI, DRUID is shaping the digital landscape through strategic integrations, including notable collaborations with OpenAI and the Microsoft Azure environment.
Today, Raluca will discuss how these integrations are vital in shaping the future of work, offering businesses robust AI-driven solutions that improve efficiency and engagement.
Join us to explore how DRUID’s innovative technologies are preparing enterprises for the conversational dynamics of tomorrow.
Welcome, Raluca. How are you?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
I’m very good, Kieran, thank you very much for the invitation and the kind intro.
Kieran Gilmurray:
Glad to hear it.
Raluca Tatarusanu:
I hope people know about DRUID that you’re talking about.
Kieran Gilmurray:
If anyone doesn’t, they will soon! That will help our audience a lot. For those who may not know you, would you tell us a little about yourself? Also, since this is amazing technology we’re excited about, could you explain how easy it is for businesses to integrate Conversational and Generative AI into their operations and processes?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
Sure. A quick intro about me: I’ve worked in sales my entire career, coming from tech companies like Oracle. While at Oracle, I discovered this amazing startup, DRUID, and knew I wanted to be part of it. Leaving the comfort of corporate life and diving headfirst into DRUID has been the best decision I’ve ever made. I was DRUID’s first sales hire, employee number nine; fun fact. When I joined, we had just two customers, and I signed customer number three. Now, DRUID has grown to nearly 200 employees and over 300 customers; it’s been an incredible journey.
I think DRUID caught the attention of businesses because it’s technology with obvious value and unmatched flexibility. Whatever use case, integration, or scenario you throw at us, we know how to handle it. That’s why we’ve grown so fast, a perfect combo of great tech and great people. People often overlook the amazing team behind the scenes, but you, Kieran, have met some of them; they’re sensational. That’s what makes DRUID’s success today.
Kieran Gilmurray:
That’s a fantastic testament. I know the company well, and I agree, great people and great technology make great businesses. You mentioned flexibility and success, can you share some detailed success stories?
Also, what are the most common business concerns, and how have you solved them?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
Absolutely. First, DRUID is a Conversational AI platform enabling businesses to automate processes, both internal, for employees (HR, sales, procurement, IT, etc.), and external, interacting with customers, distributors, and vendors. This technology fits every industry, not just banking or retail.
One sweet spot is BFSI: financial institutions. Our very first customer was Transilvania Bank, Romania’s largest. Back in 2018, banks weren’t open to hybrid cloud tech, so working with Transilvania Bank was innovative. We started with an HR project for about 10,000 employees. It was so successful they created their own internal DRUID team to build virtual assistants. Five years later, they have eight live virtual assistants created by their team, serving real business needs.
This shows how technology can seamlessly integrate into everyday business, optimizing internal workflows and customer interactions alike.
Kieran Gilmurray:
I like the multiple layers here. Tech democratization means real business people, not just IT, are building solutions in traditionally conservative industries like banking. Exciting. What other examples do you have?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
We started working with Liberty Global about 18 months ago. DRUID isn’t just virtual assistants; it can also build conversational applications to fill gaps in tech stacks. Liberty Global needed a solution for accounts payable. We built a conversational business app. It was so successful, they rolled it out across their group and even considered investing in DRUID to deepen the partnership.
From one virtual assistant, we grew to five specialized bots in different departments. In just 10 months, they resolved over 10,000 tickets automatically, with a 65% resolution rate; huge time savings. They’re also active in our conferences, even demoing live, a very special customer.
Kieran Gilmurray:
And an investor too; a great endorsement!
Is Generative and Conversational AI suitable for every business?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
Yes. DRUID is designed for business users, not just tech teams. The open AI wave has helped educate the market, making companies more open to conversational tech. Many never imagined having a virtual assistant act like an internal Google for all their documents and info; that’s what we provide.
Large enterprises use DRUID at scale, operationally and customer-facing. Small and medium businesses often use it for customer interaction: lead capture, FAQs, complaint automation, product recommendations. For retail, virtual assistants aren’t just nice-to-have; they grow revenue by providing personalized recommendations customers might not find manually. For example, a customer planning a party can ask the assistant to pick products and add them to the basket automatically; huge business impact.
Kieran Gilmurray:
Sounds like the limit is imagination, not technology.
How do you set up and deliver a competitive Conversational AI program?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
It’s a process, not a product catalog. Many think of virtual assistants superficially. We start by discovering which processes consume the most time and add zero value; often tasks that can be digitized easily from existing documents or SharePoint. We’re firm believers that we’re giving people their lives back, freeing them from tedious Excel and reports to focus on meaningful work.
We explore initial needs, but always try to expand them. For example, a client might want to digitize call center links, but we dig deeper. How long do agents take to pick calls? What KPIs do they track? How hard is hiring multilingual agents? We uncover more than the initial ask, building a digitalization roadmap piece by piece.
We don’t oversell; depth matters. Selling too much upfront risks delivering something customers don’t need, diluting the assistant’s value. DRUID’s dashboard provides insight into real customer conversations, letting us evolve solutions naturally.
A healthcare client in Romania started with an FAQ chatbot that wasn’t public; they tested usage quietly. Five years later, that chatbot evolved into a complex virtual assistant handling appointments, digital contracts, package info, call center routing, and more.
Kieran Gilmurray:
No wonder DRUID grew from two or three customers to hundreds! I like the focus on delivering real client value by evolving slowly and thoughtfully.
Where do you see Conversational and Generative AI going?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
We’re just beginning to understand tech’s potential. Since last April’s OpenAI and Microsoft ChatGPT integration announcement, we’ve seen use cases explode. Tasks once impossible, like asking a chatbot for a pancake recipe and having it add the cheapest ingredients to your basket, are now reality.
We can also analyze thousands of unanswered call center tickets, turning them into knowledge bases to level up virtual assistants.
When asked for a five-year roadmap recently, we laughed. No one can predict that now, given the speed of AI evolution.
We built a “megabot” that sits atop all virtual assistants in a business, integrating with Copilot as a “child bot.” This enables incredible new capabilities limited only by imagination.
Kieran Gilmurray:
Glad I didn’t ask about five years!
What about DRUID’s next steps? Where can we learn more?
Raluca Tatarusanu:
Our social media is bursting with news, features, and success stories. But the must-attend event is our flagship Symbiosis 3 on October 15 in London. It’s the best place to learn about DRUID’s near-future roadmap, hear customer stories, and get direct access to DRUID teams and users.
Kieran Gilmurray:
That sounds amazing! And it’s online too for those who can’t travel. But I recommend being there in person; it’s an incredible experience with unmatched energy and networking.
Raluca Tatarusanu:
Exactly! Whether in-person or online, bring your curiosity and questions. We love curious people eager to learn.
Kieran Gilmurray:
Sounds like the event to attend! Raluca, thank you so much for your positivity and insight. You’ve got me excited to explore more. I love the stories you shared, and I know there’s much more on your social channels. I also love that DRUID’s customers not only get genuine value, but believe enough to invest in the company. I wish you every success, and thank you for joining DRUID Talks.
And thanks to everyone listening and watching.
Raluca Tatarusanu:
Thank you.
Stay tuned for the next episode of DRUID Talks. Subscribe to be notified at https://druidai.com/talks.
