Agentic AI for Vertical Software | Bret Tushaus, VP Product (Deltek)
How Deltek’s VP of Product is building vertical AI agents to transform ERP, and why “just do it” is the mantra for AI adoption.
TL;DR
In this episode of LaunchPod, we sit down with Bret Tushaus, VP of Product at Deltek, to explore how his team built Dela, an AI agent framework powering everything from smart summaries to autonomous accounting, and why vertical AI agents are changing ERP as we know it.
Here’s what we cover:
How Deltek built Dela, an AI agent framework powering everything from smart summaries to autonomous accounting (03:00)
Why AI is rewriting the role of Product Management, and what leaders need to know now (23:00)
How Bret’s team leveled up their AI skills fast with short, high-impact sprints focused on real tools and real problems (24:00)
1. Building Dela: AI for the Real World of ERP
Deltek’s customers, from architecture firms to government contractors, run on complex, project-focused workflows. Instead of slapping a chat agent into their ERP and calling it AI, Bret’s team built Dela, a branded “digital business companion” made up of four pillars:
Smart content generation: Like natural-language smart summaries for reports and proposals
Project success prediction: Machine-learning models to flag at-risk projects or rank contract opportunities
Intelligent exploration: Natural-language querying to replace traditional reporting
Autonomous/ambient agents: Narrow, task-focused agents evolving into human-in-the-loop assistants, like a month-end close agent
The goal? Purposeful innovation that frees customers to focus on higher-value work without sacrificing trust or accuracy.
2. Why AI is Reshaping Product Management
Bret sees AI as an inflection point for product teams, one that’s arriving in months, not years. The new PM skillset includes:
Quickly testing new tools and approaches without waiting for “perfect” understanding
Working in fusion teams where PM, UX, and engineering collaborate in AI-augmented workflows
Identifying workflows where AI removes labor but still keeps humans in the loop for decisions and oversight
“Product teams, engineering teams, product marketing, UX, it’s gonna be dramatically different for those teams in the months ahead. And I purposely use the word months because of how quickly this stuff is moving.”
3. Leveling up AI skills fast
Instead of abstract workshops, Bret runs AI call-to-actions:
Every team member gets a specific AI tool to try within 30 days
They must create a real use case, test it, and share results
Insights are disseminated across the team to spread adoption
This democratizes AI experimentation, ensuring that big ideas don’t just come from the “usual suspects” but from anyone who spots an opportunity.
“That next big idea might come from a place that we don’t usually expect it to come from.”
Links
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to AI in Product Management
01:06 Building AI-Powered Solutions at Deltek
03:05 Smart Summaries and Predictive Analytics
08:24 Intelligent Exploration and Conversational Interfaces
17:39 The Future of AI Agents
22:14 Getting Started with AI in Your Team
26:52 Final Thoughts
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