Agent Pricing Splits Into Bundle-vs-Meter — Incumbents Fold AI Into Base While AI-Native Players Charge Per Outcome

Zendesk (synthesis: Zendesk/Microsoft/Decagon)·high signal

AI-agent pricing is bifurcating rather than converging: incumbents are folding agent capability into base subscriptions (Zendesk's June 12 packaging change drops its 'Advanced' AI add-on and bundles agentic reasoning and API actions into base Suite plans; Salesforce ships 50 agents out-of-box), while platform and AI-native players meter it (Microsoft Agent 365 at $15/user/mo; Decagon and Sierra charge per resolution). The builder signal: 'AI included' is becoming a retention play for incumbents while metered/outcome pricing is the AI-native wedge.