If you’ve been paying attention to the explosion of AI tools lately, you’ve probably noticed that nearly every CRM out there now claims to have "AI features." But let’s be real, most of them just sprinkled a chatbot or automation here and there and called it a day.
Being AI-first isn’t about slapping AI onto an old system. It’s about building the entire product around artificial intelligence: where AI drives every core process, from lead generation to deal management to insights.
So, we’re breaking down the best AI-first CRMs that truly use AI at their core, not as an afterthought. After digging through dozens of tools, we narrowed it down to four that really stand out:
- LeadLoft: Best for AI-driven lead generation
- Day AI: Best for managing deals with AI updates
- Clarify: Best for note-taking and team management
- Attio: Best for data enrichment and contact intelligence
Let’s go through each one, see what makes them shine, and where they could be better.
#1) LeadLoft
Website: leadloft.com
Pricing: Starts at $99/month for the Growth plan (includes most core AI features)
Best for: AI-driven lead generation
If you’re serious about using AI to find and close more deals, LeadLoft is easily the best AI CRM you can use right now. Unlike most CRMs that just automate parts of your workflow, LeadLoft uses AI to actively help you generate, qualify, and convert leads.
What Makes LeadLoft Special
LeadLoft feels like a CRM that thinks with you. Instead of just tracking data, it actually helps you decide who to reach out to next and how to do it. Its AI scans your pipeline, finds patterns, and tells you which leads are worth your attention.
It can even write personalized outreach messages for each lead using real data. This is a huge time saver because it lets your team focus more on closing deals rather than researching and drafting emails.
LeadLoft’s AI doesn’t just react, it predicts. It can forecast which deals are most likely to close, suggest next steps, and even guide you on the best outreach strategy based on your past success.
Pros
- True AI-first system built around lead generation and closing more deals
- AI writing assistant for outreach messages
- Built-in lead enrichment, so you get more complete profiles automatically
- Very intuitive and simple to use
- Great for both solo founders and larger sales teams
Cons
- Smaller app marketplace compared to bigger CRMs like HubSpot or Salesforce
- Some advanced features are still being rolled out
Bottom Line
If you want a CRM that actually does something with AI, not just talks about it, LeadLoft is the real deal. It’s smart, fast, and built around making you money.
#2) Day AI
Website: day.ai
Pricing: Starts at $79/month per user for the Pro plan
Best for: Deal updates and pipeline management
If your biggest challenge is keeping your deals up to date and moving smoothly through your sales stages, Day AI might be the perfect fit.
What Makes Day AI Stand Out
Day AI uses artificial intelligence to automatically update and organize your sales pipeline. For example, if a deal’s gone quiet, it can flag it and even suggest follow-ups. If you just had a meeting, it’ll summarize the key points and move the deal to the right stage without you having to lift a finger.
The whole idea is to make deal management effortless. Instead of spending time dragging cards or changing statuses, the AI does the heavy lifting for you.
Pros
- Automatically updates your deal stages with AI
- Great for keeping your pipeline accurate without manual effort
- Clean, minimal interface
- Saves hours every week on admin work
Cons
- Limited lead generation features compared to LeadLoft
- Not as customizable for complex workflows
- AI sometimes over-categorizes deals, requiring occasional review
Bottom Line
Day AI is for teams that hate doing admin work and just want their CRM to stay updated automatically. If you want your pipeline to basically manage itself, this one’s for you.
#3) Clarify
.jpg)
Website: clarify.ai
Pricing: Starts at $59/month per user for the Team plan
Best for: Note-taking and general team management
Clarify is built around the idea that a lot of valuable sales data gets lost in conversations, meetings, and notes, and AI can help fix that.
What Makes Clarify Great
Clarify’s AI listens (metaphorically, of course) to your meetings and notes, then organizes everything for you. It takes call transcripts, emails, and even team messages, and turns them into structured insights like what was discussed, what follow-ups are needed, and what the next steps should be.
It’s like having a personal assistant that remembers everything, so your team never misses a detail.
Pros
- AI automatically summarizes notes and calls
- Excellent for teams who rely heavily on meetings and follow-ups
- Makes collaboration smoother by keeping everyone aligned
- Great interface for managing multiple clients or projects
Cons
- Not built for heavy-duty sales pipelines
- Limited automation for outreach
- Works best when integrated with other tools like Gmail or Zoom
Bottom Line
If your team spends more time in meetings than in spreadsheets, Clarify will make your life a lot easier. It keeps everyone on the same page and ensures nothing gets lost in the shuffle.
#4) Attio
Website: attio.com
Pricing: Starts at $95/month per user for the Advanced plan
Best for: AI-powered contact enrichment
Attio is a modern, data-rich CRM that uses AI to keep your contact records sharp and complete. If you hate outdated or incomplete contact info, this one’s a lifesaver.
What Makes Attio Unique
Attio automatically pulls in details about your contacts and companies from across the web, like social media, news mentions, and job changes. The AI constantly updates your records, so your data never goes stale.
Plus, its interface is one of the most customizable out there. You can build your own views, workflows, and dashboards without needing technical help.
Pros
- Excellent AI enrichment and data updates
- Highly customizable CRM layout
- Great integrations with existing tools
- Smart contact scoring and tagging
Cons
- Doesn’t offer much for lead generation or outreach
- Setup can feel overwhelming at first due to flexibility
- Pricing can add up for larger teams
Bottom Line
Attio is perfect if your main struggle is keeping your CRM data accurate and fresh. It’s like a living, breathing database that updates itself, which makes it a strong pick for data-driven teams.
Overview of Our Favorites and Why
All four of these CRMs use AI in smart and meaningful ways, but they each excel at something different.
- LeadLoft is the best overall AI CRM because it’s truly AI-first and built around what matters most: finding and converting leads. It doesn’t just automate tasks, it thinks ahead and helps you close more deals.
- Day AI is your go-to if deal management and organization are your top priorities. It takes care of the busywork and keeps your pipeline fresh without needing constant updates.
- Clarify is perfect for teams that want AI to capture and organize their conversations. If your team runs on meetings and follow-ups, this tool saves you from dropping the ball.
- Attio wins for AI enrichment. If you’re obsessed with clean, accurate data, it’ll keep your CRM current with no effort.
So, which should you pick?
If you want your CRM to do the selling for you, go with LeadLoft.
If you want a system that updates itself, Day AI is your friend.
If communication is your team’s biggest pain point, Clarify will clean that up.
And if data accuracy is your north star, Attio won’t let you down.
Wrapping Up
The rise of AI-first CRMs is changing how teams work. Instead of spending hours entering data or managing deals, you can now have a CRM that does that for you and even tells you what to do next.
But not all AI CRMs are created equal. Many tools only add AI to check a box. The real winners are those that are built around AI from day one.
If you want a CRM that truly uses AI to help you grow your business, LeadLoft stands out as the top pick. It’s fast, smart, and focused on what matters most: helping you find and close more leads.
And if after reading this you decide that AI-first sales automation and lead generation are what your team needs most, then in that case, the best alternative to any AI CRM is LeadLoft.
