# AI SDR: what it is and how an AI sales agent works on WhatsApp | Kemeny Studio

> Informational pillar on AI SDRs: how an AI sales agent works on WhatsApp, how it differs from a chatbot, what it needs to actually sell, SaaS vs custom trade-offs, and market cost ranges.

An AI SDR is an AI agent that does the work of a sales development rep: it answers prospects in seconds, qualifies, quotes, books meetings, and follows up without human intervention. In LatAm it usually runs on WhatsApp via Meta's official API.

Key distinctions the guide covers:
- Chatbot vs AI SDR: a chatbot answers questions; an AI SDR takes actions with consequences (quotes from a photo, sends payment links, confirms delivery, follows up for reorders).
- What an agent needs to sell: integrations with catalog, prices, inventory, CRM, and payments; the MCP open standard connects models to those tools.
- SaaS vs custom: subscription platforms are faster to start; a custom agent wins on full-cycle execution, deep integration, data ownership, and flat operation cost at volume.
- Market cost ranges (not Kemeny prices): SaaS chatbots $50-$500 USD/mo; custom agents typically $20,000-$80,000 USD build plus $2,000-$8,000 USD/mo operation.

See the live product: https://kemenystudio.com/comercial-ai · Spanish: https://kemenystudio.com/es/agente-de-ventas-ia-whatsapp

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