117: Guest - Josh Schachter - AI, Churn and GRR: What’s Really Threatening SaaS Retention?
- E117
- 32:00
- March 24th 2026
In this episode, Jason Noble and Jason Whitehead are joined by Josh Schachter, SVP of AI Strategy & Market Development at Gainsight and host of the Unchurned podcast, to explore what is really putting SaaS retention under pressure.
They discuss whether AI is increasing churn risk or simply exposing weak value, why build versus buy is becoming a bigger issue, and how tighter financial scrutiny is changing renewal conversations. They also look at what Customer Success must do differently if it wants to protect GRR and remain commercially relevant in the AI era.
A sharp conversation on retention, value and what SaaS leaders need to do next.
About Josh Schachter
Josh Schachter is SVP of AI Strategy & Market Development at Gainsight and host of the Unchurned podcast. He founded Update, often described as “Gong for post-sales”, which was later acquired by Gainsight. Today, he works at the intersection of AI, Customer Success leadership and post-sales operations, helping SaaS leaders understand what is really changing inside modern revenue teams.
Breakthrough SaaS Growth with The Jasons
SaaS growth isn’t owned by a single team - it’s a cross-functional sport. Each week, hosts Jason Noble (UK) and Jason Whitehead (US) dig into what actually drives sustainable growth across product, pricing, onboarding & adoption, customer success, sales, marketing, finance, and leadership. Expect candid conversations, practical playbooks, and board-level perspectives on topics like AI (beyond the hype), data quality & trust, in-product guidance, value realization, renewals, expansion, and customer experience. You’ll hear from founders, investors, product and revenue leaders who’ve built real results - not just slideware.
Formerly known as The Jasons Take On, the show has evolved to reflect a broader mission: turning insight into action that breaks through silos and accelerates SaaS growth. Same Jasons. Bigger vision. Sharper takeaways.
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