Live from Zoho Day 2026 with Special Guest Raju Vegesna

In this special episode, Pete is joined by Raju Vegesna, Chief Evangelist at Zoho, live from the annual Zoho Day analyst 2026 event and update in Austin, Texas! Together they explore Zoho’s 30-year journey from shipping software on floppy disks to delivering integrated SaaS platforms and now AI-driven solutions, and how the company’s distinct culture and values have underpinned that evolution. The conversation explores the future of SaaS and AI. Raju challenges the narrative that “SaaS is dead,” arguing instead that commoditization of software and AI is a net positive: as costs drop, access and productivity rise across society. They discuss the shift from productivity gains to intelligence gains as the new ROI in software, and how connected data and platforms are foundational for meaningful AI insights. They talk about the gap between AI hype and reality, why many AI projects are not yet delivering ROI, and how we’re still in the “plumbing” and protocol phase of this wave and the emerging importance of data and intelligence sovereignty, including why some countries and large enterprises may push back toward on‑premise or sovereign AI. Plus Raju offers guidance for business leaders who feel stuck or behind on AI: it’s still early, the ground is shifting rapidly, and the current explosion of innovation will be followed by consolidation, creating a window of opportunity for fast movers. Connect with Raju: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajuvegesna1/ X: https://x.com/rajuv Website: www.zoho.com Connect with the show: LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/hr-payroll-2-0 X: https://x.com/HRPayroll2_0 X: https://x.com/PeteTiliakos X: https://x.com/JulieFer_HR BlueSky: @hrpayroll2o.bsky.social YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HRPAYROLL2_0 WRKDefined Podcast Network: https://wrkdefined.com/podcast/hr-payroll-20 Thank you to our marquee sponsors for powering the HR & Payroll 2.0 podcast forward! G-P ‘Globalization Partners’: https://www.globalization-partners.com/ OneSource Virtual: https://hubs.ly/Q03YFNR90 Zoho: https://www.zoho.com/press.html Thank you to our ‘wizard behind the curtain’ and show producer Ryan Kielma: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-kielma/