AI

Xoul AI, Open Router & Ways AI Reshapes Business Spending

Schwab Network (ex‑TD Ameritrade Network)
Schwab Network (ex‑TD Ameritrade Network)•May 30, 2026

Why It Matters

By shifting spend to AI orchestration platforms, firms reduce model‑selection risk and accelerate product cycles, reshaping capital allocation and talent needs across the tech sector.

Key Takeaways

  • •Companies prioritize AI middleware over raw model purchases.
  • •Routing platforms like OpenRouter and Xoul AI see fastest growth.
  • •Firms hedge by using multiple LLMs via orchestration tools.
  • •No-code coding tools (Replit, Framer, Lovable) boost rapid prototyping.
  • •Incumbents embed AI in existing products while startups own greenfield.

Summary

Brex’s latest spend data reveals a pivot from buying raw large‑language models to purchasing the middleware that sits between companies and the models. Platforms that route, orchestrate, or specialize AI outputs—such as OpenRouter and Xoul AI—are the two fastest‑growing vendors on Brex’s card‑processing network over the past six months.

The data shows firms are hedging across multiple LLM providers rather than betting on a single winner. By leveraging routing layers, businesses can automatically select the most suitable model for each task, cutting down on trial‑and‑error and accelerating time‑to‑value. At the same time, no‑code coding services like Replit, Framer and the 2023‑born Lovable are powering rapid prototype builds, with Lovable hitting $100 million in revenue within a year.

Levy notes, “Customers have stopped trying to pick the winner; they let the middleware decide.” He also highlights that Brex itself uses these tools to spin up product drafts before full development. The surge in “vibe‑coding” tools, combined with AI‑driven deck‑building (Gamma) and transcription (WhisperFlow), illustrates a broader shift toward AI‑augmented first drafts that shave off up to 80 % of manual effort.

For investors and executives, the trend signals smarter capital allocation: spend on orchestration layers that de‑risk model selection, while incumbents like Snowflake and Salesforce embed AI into existing ecosystems. Start‑ups that own green‑field AI applications will continue to thrive, but the real competitive edge now lies in how efficiently firms can integrate and switch between models.

Original Description

Art Levy breaks down how AI is reshaping business spending. He says when you look at the data, companies aren't just buying AI infrastructure, they're buying what sits between them and the LLMs. Art also covers the two fastest growing vendors called Xoul AI and Open Router, and what purchasing behavior tells us about AI.
Segment originally aired Thursday, May 28, 2026.
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