AI C3.ai Dashboard

Risks

• We have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to evaluate our prospects and future results of operations.
• Historically, a limited number of customers have accounted for a substantial portion of our revenue. If existing customers do not renew their contracts with us, or if our relationships with our largest customers are impaired or terminated, our revenue could decline, and our results of operations would be adversely impacted.
• Our business depends on our ability to attract new customers and on our existing customers purchasing additional subscriptions from us and renewing their existing subscriptions.
• Because we derive substantially all of our revenue from our C3 AI Software, failure of Enterprise AI solutions in general and our C3 AI Software in particular to satisfy customer demands or to achieve increased market acceptance would adversely affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and growth prospects.
• Our current C3 AI Software, as well as applications, features, and functionality that we may introduce in the future, may not be widely accepted by our customers, may receive negative attention or may require us to compensate or reimburse third parties, any of which may lower our margins and harm our business.
• We have a history of operating losses and may not achieve or sustain profitability in the future.
• We face intense competition and could lose market share to our competitors, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
• Our sales cycles can be long and unpredictable, particularly with respect to large subscriptions, and our sales efforts require considerable time and expense.
• Certain revenue metrics such as net dollar-based retention rate or annual recurring revenue may not be accurate indicators of our future financial results.
• Changes in our subscription or pricing models could adversely affect our operating results.
• Our revenue growth depends in part on the success of our strategic relationships with third parties, including channel partners, and if we are unable to establish and maintain successful relationships with them, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
• If the market for our C3 AI Software fails to grow as we expect, or if businesses fail to adopt our C3 AI Software, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
• If we fail to respond to rapid technological changes, extend our C3 AI Software, or develop new features and functionality, our ability to remain competitive could be impaired.
• If we were to lose the services of our CEO or other members of our senior management team, we may not be able to execute our business strategy.
• The failure to effectively develop and expand our marketing and sales capabilities could harm our ability to increase our customer base and achieve broader market acceptance of our C3 AI Software.
• If we fail to develop, maintain, and enhance our brand and reputation cost-effectively, our business and financial condition may be adversely affected.
• We may not successfully manage our growth or plan for future growth.
• If we are unable to ensure that our C3 AI Software interoperate with a variety of software applications that are developed by others, including our partners, we may become less competitive and our business may be harmed.
• Our ability to sell subscriptions to our C3 AI Software could be harmed by real or perceived material defects or errors in our C3 AI Software.
• The failure to attract and retain additional qualified personnel or to maintain our company culture could harm our business and prevent us from executing our business strategy.
• Our annual and quarterly results and key metrics are likely to fluctuate significantly and may not fully reflect the underlying performance of our business.
• We recognize revenue from subscriptions to our C3 AI Software over the terms of these subscriptions. Consequently, increases or decreases in new sales may not be immediately reflected in our results of operations and may be difficult to discern.
• Any failure to offer high-quality maintenance and support services for our customers may harm our relationships with our customers and, consequently, our business.
• The COVID-19 pandemic had and could continue to have an adverse impact on our business, our operations, and the markets and communities in which we, our partners, and our customers operate.
• Our actual or perceived failure to comply with privacy, data protection laws, regulations, and obligations could harm our business.
• If we or our service providers experience a security breach or if unauthorized parties otherwise obtain access to our customers’ data, our data, or our C3 AI Software, our platform may be perceived as not being secure, our reputation may be harmed, demand for our platform may be reduced, and we may incur significant liabilities.
• We could suffer disruptions, outages, defects, and other performance and quality problems with our C3 AI Software or with the public cloud and internet infrastructure on which it relies.
• Our application for a PPP Loan could in the future be determined to have been impermissible, which could result in damage to our reputation or adversely impact our business.
• We rely on third-party service providers to host and deliver our C3 AI Software, and any interruptions or delays in these services could impair our C3 AI Software and harm our business.
• We may face exposure to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations.
• Sales to government entities and highly regulated organizations are subject to a number of challenges and risks.
• Our business could be adversely affected if our employees cannot obtain and maintain required security clearances, we cannot obtain and maintain a required facility security clearance, or we do not comply with legal and regulatory obligations regarding the safeguarding of classified information.
• If we are unable to achieve and sustain a level of liquidity sufficient to support our operations and fulfill our obligations, our business, operating results and financial position could be adversely affected.
• We may need additional capital, and we cannot be certain that additional financing will be available on favorable terms, or at all.
• We may acquire other businesses or receive offers to be acquired, which could require significant management attention, disrupt our business or dilute stockholder value.
• We have business and customer relationships with certain entities who are stockholders or are affiliated with our directors, or both, and conflicts of interest may arise because of such relationships.
• Changes in accounting standards and subjective assumptions, estimates and judgments by management related to complex accounting matters could adversely affect our financial results or financial condition.
• Increased scrutiny regarding environmental, employment, social, and governance matters could adversely impact our reputation, our ability to retain employees, and the willingness of customers and others to do business with us.
• We are continuing to expand our operations outside the United States, where we may be subject to increased business and economic risks that could harm our business.
• We are subject to governmental export and import controls that could impair our ability to compete in international markets or subject us to liability if we are not in compliance with applicable laws.
• We are subject to the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA, and similar anti-corruption, anti-bribery, and similar laws, and non-compliance with such laws can subject us to criminal or civil liability and harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
• Our results of operations may be harmed if we are required to collect sales or other related taxes for our subscriptions in jurisdictions where we have not historically done so.
• We may be subject to liabilities on past sales for taxes, surcharges, and fees.
• We may have exposure to greater than anticipated tax liabilities, which could harm our business.
• Our ability to use our net operating losses and certain other tax attributes to offset future taxable income or taxes may be subject to certain limitations.
• We are currently, and may be in the future, party to intellectual property rights claims and other litigation matters, which, if resolved adversely, could harm our business.
• Indemnity provisions in various agreements potentially expose us to substantial liability for intellectual property infringement and other losses.
• Our failure to protect our intellectual property rights and proprietary information could diminish our brand and other intangible assets.
• Our use of third-party open source software could negatively affect our ability to offer and sell subscriptions to our C3 AI Software and subject us to possible litigation.
• Because of the characteristics of open source software, there may be fewer technology barriers to entry by new competitors and it may be relatively easy for new and existing competitors with greater resources than we have to compete with us.
• If open source software programmers, many of whom we do not employ, or our own internal programmers do not continue to develop and enhance open source technologies, we may be unable to develop new technologies, adequately enhance our existing technologies or meet customer requirements for innovation, quality and price.
• Our software development and licensing model could be negatively impacted if the Apache License, Version 2.0 is not enforceable or is modified so as to become incompatible with other open source licenses.
• The trading price of our Class A common stock may be volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.
• The dual class structure of our common stock has the effect of concentrating voting control with the holders of our Class B common stock, limiting your ability to influence corporate matters.
• Substantial future sales of shares of our Class A common stock and Class B common stock by existing holders in the public market could cause the market price of our Class A common stock to decline.
• Provisions in our constituent documents and Delaware law may prevent or frustrate attempts by our stockholders to change our management or hinder efforts to acquire a controlling interest in us, and the market price of our Class A common stock may be lower as a result.
• Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware and, to the extent enforceable, the federal district courts of the United States of America as the exclusive forums for certain disputes between us and our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to choose the judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers or employees.
• Our Class A common stock market price and trading volume could decline if securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business.
• We are an “emerging growth company,” and we intend to comply only with reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies. As a result, our Class A common stock could be less attractive to investors.
• We will continue to incur costs and demands upon management as a result of complying with the laws and regulations affecting public companies in the United States, which may harm our business.
• If we fail to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce timely and accurate financial statements or comply with applicable regulations could be impaired.
• Any future litigation against us could be costly and time-consuming to defend.
• Our business could be disrupted by catastrophic events.