C

C3.ai

Builds ready-made AI apps for industry and defense

Overview

C3.ai builds software that large companies and government agencies use to create and run AI applications, and it sells ready-made AI apps for industries such as manufacturing, energy, and defense. When it listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2020 under the ticker AI, its shares more than doubled on the first day. Its platform pulls data from business systems and equipment sensors into one shared model, and its apps predict machine failures, plan inventory, and schedule production. Customers pay mainly through subscriptions, and its C3 Code tool builds apps from plain-English requests. Tom Siebel, who earlier founded Siebel Systems and sold it to Oracle, started C3.ai in 2009, and it is based in Redwood City, California.

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About C3.ai

Simplify's Rating
Why C3.ai is rated
C+
Rated C on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Enterprise SoftwareAI & Machine Learning

Company Size

501-1,000

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Redwood City, CA

Founded

2009

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Simplify's take

What believers are saying

  • Defense work is surging: new federal contract value rose 138% year over year in the quarter ending July 2026.
  • Runway is long: C3.ai held $651 million and took in more cash than it spent in the July 2026 quarter.
  • Partners bring in most deals: 89% of new contract value in late 2025 came through Microsoft, AWS and other partners.

What critics are saying

  • Job security has slipped: C3.ai cut 26% of its staff in February 2026, as quarterly revenue fell 46%.
  • Stock grants have lost value: C3.ai shares fell 40% in the year to October 2026, while rival Palantir's rose 7%.
  • Expect daily office work: headquarters job posts in October 2026 require being onsite in Redwood City five days a week.

What makes C3.ai unique

  • The Air Force depends on it: the service's standard maintenance-prediction system runs on C3.ai, under a $450 million contract cap.
  • Oil and gas is a built-in market: oilfield-services giant Baker Hughes co-sells C3.ai's software under a deal through June 2028.
  • Industry veterans lead its projects: 16 of 92 October 2026 openings seek specialists in steel, refining, farming and other fields.

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Funding

Total Funding

$872.8M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

7 Rounds

IPO funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
IPO Funding Comparison Coming Soon

Benefits

  • Education - Lifelong learning is a part of C3 AI. That's why we will cover the total cost for employees to earn a master's degree in computer science online. Those who complete the degree get three more big perks—a $25,000 cash bonus, a guaranteed 15% raise and a stock grant.
  • Relax and recharge - In the United States, C3 AI offers 15 days of paid time off every year. As your tenure with the company grows so does your paid time off! C3 AI also offers 10 paid public holidays around which you can build your vacation leave.
  • Training - C3 AI holds monthly employee training sessions as well as weekly lunch-and-learns. C3 AI also encourages further education by offering bonuses for the successful completion of select online courses.
  • Health coverage - C3 AI offers competitive coverage. Our program includes medical, dental, and vision.
  • 401K - C3 AI offers fund options via Charles Schwab for retirement savings.
  • Equity - Restricted stock units are granted to all full-time C3 AI employees.
  • Free gym membership - To help keep you at the top of your game, C3 AI offers employees a free gym membership at our state-of-the-art fitness facility.
  • Catered lunches daily - C3 AI provides a fully stocked snack area and beverage refrigerator that contains everything from energy drinks to sodas and iced tea. Every day C3 AI provides a catered, gourmet lunch so that the team can relax together and share ideas.
  • Commuter check program - C3 AI offers tax saving commuter benefits program.
  • Travel assistance - Employees are provided global health insurance while traveling for business
  • Ping-pong and pool tables - C3 AI has been known to host ping-pong and pool tournaments, allowing you to step away from the monitor. This is the perfect opportunity to enjoy coworkers while hitting a white ball at them.
  • Friday happy hour - Relax and unwind at the end of the week at C3's weekly Friday Happy Hour. Enjoy good food, good drinks and great company at our office.

Stock Price

Growth & Insights and Company News

6 month growth

-4%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

3%
SaasRise
Nov 3rd, 2026
C3.ai revenue dips as SentinelOne projects $310M in Q3 sales.

C3.ai revenue dips as SentinelOne projects $310M in Q3 sales. SaasRise - Nov 3, 2026 C3.ai posted $52.4 million in Q2 revenue, a modest rise after a steep decline, while SentinelOne forecast fiscal Q3 sales of $309-$311 million, marking steady subscription growth. The contrast underscores differing market dynamics for enterprise AI platforms versus cybersecurity SaaS. Why it matters. C3.ai's modest revenue rebound underscores the challenges of scaling enterprise AI platforms that rely on long sales cycles and deep integration projects. For investors, the company's ability to convert a surge in bookings into recurring revenue will determine its valuation trajectory. SentinelOne's steady subscription growth, bolstered by product innovation and strategic partnerships, signals robust demand for AI-enhanced security solutions, a segment likely to attract continued capital and M&A interest. The divergence also informs go-to-market strategies for SaaS founders: vertical AI solutions may need to accelerate product-led growth loops, while security vendors can leverage recurring revenue models to capture market share. For operators, the two stories provide a cautionary tale about the importance of leadership continuity and the timing of product launches. C3.ai's leadership disruption and legal distractions have hampered momentum, whereas SentinelOne's disciplined execution and capital-raising strategy have reinforced its growth engine. Understanding these dynamics helps SaaS executives calibrate their own GTM and product roadmaps in an environment where AI and security intersect. Key points. * C3.ai posted $52.4 million in Q2 revenue, a modest rise after a steep decline. * SentinelOne forecast fiscal Q3 sales of $309-$311 million, continuing two years of QoQ growth. * C3.ai saw a 73 % QoQ increase in customer bookings, indicating renewed pipeline activity. * SentinelOne launched an autonomous security-operations platform and expanded its Lenovo integration. * C3.ai's CEO Thomas Siebel returned in June after a health-related hiatus; the firm faces a securities-fraud class action. Analysis. The split performance between C3.ai and SentinelOne reflects a broader inflection point in the SaaS market where security-as-a-service is outpacing niche AI platforms. SentinelOne's subscription model benefits from a clear value proposition - protecting assets against increasingly sophisticated AI-driven attacks - making it easier to sell on a recurring basis. Its recent convertible-debt raise not only strengthens the balance sheet but also signals confidence from institutional investors in the company's growth runway. Conversely, C3.ai's challenges illustrate the risk of over-reliance on large, bespoke contracts that can be disrupted by leadership changes or legal uncertainty. The 73 % jump in bookings is encouraging, but without a corresponding lift in ARR, the company may continue to lag behind peers that have embraced product-led growth tactics. To close the gap, C3.ai will likely need to streamline its onboarding process, perhaps by offering more modular AI components that can be adopted faster, akin to the low-code AI trend gaining traction. Strategically, investors should monitor how each company leverages its capital. SentinelOne's debt instrument could fund aggressive R&D, potentially expanding its AI-driven detection capabilities and solidifying its moat. C3.ai, meanwhile, must demonstrate that its new development environment can accelerate client time-to-value, a prerequisite for improving net-retention and justifying its valuation. The next earnings season will be pivotal in assessing whether these divergent strategies converge toward sustainable, high-margin SaaS growth.

Tech in Asia
Oct 29th, 2026
Singtel's NCS launches center to take AI beyond pilots.

Singtel's NCS launches center to take AI beyond pilots. NCS, Singtel's Singapore-based technology services arm, launched its AI Mission Centre on October 29 to help enterprises and public agencies move from AI pilots to full deployment. At the launch, Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo officiated as NCS signed memorandums of understanding with Changi Airport Group, the Institute of Mental Health, and Singapore-based biomanufacturing company Life3 Biotech. The projects will focus on runway surveillance, patient identification and care-support tools at the Institute of Mental Health, and AI-driven biomanufacturing optimization. NCS plans to expand its pool of Intelligentisation Forward-Deployed Engineers from 100 to more than 300 within two years through hiring and internal reskilling. These AI specialists work within client teams. The launch follows NCS's push to expand regionally beyond Singapore and its partnership with C3 AI to deliver enterprise AI applications across Asia-Pacific. The projects also come as Singapore continues to develop its AI governance framework for responsible deployment. Recent NCS developments. Stay updated on the go with our mobile app. Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app. How would you feel if you could no longer use Tech in Asia? Share, tag us, and land on our Wall of!

Yahoo Finance
Oct 13th, 2026
C3.ai upgraded to "Outperform" by Northland with $16 target on new C3 Code growth engine

C3.ai shares edged higher on October 12 after Northland Capital upgraded the enterprise software company to "Outperform" and raised its price target to $16. That implies upside of more than 40% on the previous close. The shares already trade about 53% above their year-to-date low. Analyst Michael Latimore points to C3 Code, a new platform he believes can cut the development of agentic AI applications from months to days. Users describe an application in plain language, and autonomous agents do the building. He also cited the company's Accelerator marketing program. Its first event drew 110 participants from 46 companies, and three more have followed. Other analysts are more cautious. The consensus rating is "Hold," with a mean price target of about $8.9.

Industrial AI Technology
Oct 8th, 2026
Velotic appoints former C3 AI President and Chief Product Officer Houman Behzadi to its Board of Directors as it builds out Industrial Intelligence.

Velotic appoints former C3 AI President and Chief Product Officer Houman Behzadi to its Board of Directors as it builds out Industrial Intelligence. 5 hours ago Velotic has appointed Houman Behzadi, former President and Chief Product Officer at C3 AI, to its Board of Directors. Velotic has announced that Houman Behzadi has joined its Board of Directors. With more than two decades of enterprise software leadership, Behzadi brings deep experience of taking AI from technology into enterprise deployment. That experience will support Velotic as it builds on its proven industrial software foundation and advances its vision for Industrial Intelligence. Behzadi was President and Chief Product Officer at C3 AI, where he helped build and scale the company from its early stages through its initial public offering in 2020. He joined in 2010, initially focused on scaling its product and engineering organisations before taking on broader responsibilities across the company. During his time there, C3 AI developed its enterprise AI platform and a portfolio of prebuilt applications for complex operational challenges across industries, including equipment reliability, supply chain optimisation and energy management. Earlier in his career, he held product and software leadership roles at Siebel Systems and Oracle, and he is a named inventor on multiple patents related to enterprise AI and IoT technologies. "Houman knows what it takes to turn AI from a promising demo into software that people can actually use in real-world environments," said Brian Shepherd, CEO of Velotic. "He has built products, led engineering teams and worked with large enterprises through the hard part of putting AI into production. That experience will be incredibly useful as we help customers turn Industrial Intelligence into action." "Industrial organizations already have enormous amounts of data and operational knowledge. The opportunity is to put both to work," said Behzadi. "Velotic starts with proven technology that already connects to the equipment, systems, and workflows at the heart of industrial operations. That creates a powerful foundation for turning operational context into intelligence, decisions, and action. I am excited to help the team build on that foundation." Behzadi's appointment comes as Velotic expands its industrial AI capabilities, most recently with new agentic AI capabilities released in ThingWorx in September. Velotic was formed in March 2026 by bringing together Proficy, formerly part of GE Vernova, with Kepware and ThingWorx, formerly part of PTC. The TPG-backed company generates more than $300 million in revenue and serves more than 8,000 customers across manufacturing, energy, utilities, infrastructure and other critical industries.

Yahoo Finance
Sep 3rd, 2026
C3.ai bookings surge 73% and cash flow turns positive, but revenue down 25%

C3.ai reported mixed fiscal first-quarter results, with revenue of $52.4 million falling 25% year-over-year but landing within guidance. Subscription revenue comprised 94% of total revenue at $49.2 million. The quarter showed encouraging signs. Bookings surged 73% sequentially, the company signed 22 agreements, and free cash flow turned positive at $2.1 million versus negative $34.3 million last year. Non-GAAP operating loss narrowed 33% sequentially to $36.2 million. However, challenges remain. GAAP gross margin stood at just 32%, and the company posted a $92.8 million GAAP net loss. Management maintained full-year revenue guidance of $210 million to $240 million, suggesting no quick return to prior growth levels. Hedge fund holdings increased modestly, with 29 funds holding shares in Q2 versus 25 in Q1. Short interest remains high at 42.14% of float.

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