The short version

Ben Thompson predicted on January 1, 2024: “To the extent AI makes that — I think this is the upside case — AI makes that possible for more than just content, for all sorts of businesses to be lots of smaller-scale individual entrepreneurs or small teams. All of whom don't really fit in the Salesforce-driven seat-based model... so there might…

Prediction by

Ben Thompson

On January 1, 2024

“To the extent AI makes that — I think this is the upside case — AI makes that possible for more than just content, for all sorts of businesses to be lots of smaller-scale individual entrepreneurs or small teams. All of whom don't really fit in the Salesforce-driven seat-based model... so there might be a big return to self-serve.”

Follow-up

Many SaaS and AI tool vendors have moved to usage-based, API-based, and self-serve onboarding, especially in AI infrastructure and developer tools. However, traditional enterprise SaaS still relies heavily on sales-driven seat licenses, and there is no clear quantitative evidence yet of a “big return” away from that model at an industry scale. The predicted direction is visible, but the industry-wide shift is not yet clearly demonstrated.

From the High Caliber AI network — see the AI for PR module in the course.