Why pay-per-outcome AI SDRs don't work

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Sure, they sound great in theory—pay for meetings booked, deals closed, or leads converted. But in practice? The reality is far messier.

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And it’s not because the model doesn’t work well. Or that the jobs to be done can’t be well-replicated.

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It’s because we can’t measure attribution.

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Take an AI prospecting agent.

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In theory, it makes sense to price based on meetings booked. 

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But what if:

• Marketing paid $8,000 in ads that primed the lead months before?
• Sales bumped into the lead at a tradeshow, setting the stage for the AI agent’s outreach 4 months later?
• The AI agent books a meeting, but the lead no-shows – only for an AE to call back and reschedule?
• The meeting is booked, but the lead hands off the invite to a non-decision maker?
• The lead converts into a customer and refers 10 other leads
• The lead gets a cold email from the AI, but goes to the website to sign up for a demo?
• Or what if the meeting is booked, but the lead is part of a recent round of layoffs?

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When we can’t fully measure attribution, outcome-based pricing becomes a guessing game. Are you over or underpaying in an outcomes based pricing model? 🙃