The short version

Ben Thompson predicted on January 1, 2024: “When discussing the software industry (SaaS), Thompson pointed out that if AI leads to a reduction in corporate workforce numbers, the SaaS business model based on 'per seat' pricing will face growth limitations.” Verdict: Still evolving. SaaS vendors are increasingly experimenting with usage-based or value-based pricing, and bundling AI features, which aligns with…

Prediction by

Ben Thompson

On January 1, 2024

“When discussing the software industry (SaaS), Thompson pointed out that if AI leads to a reduction in corporate workforce numbers, the SaaS business model based on 'per seat' pricing will face growth limitations.”

Follow-up

SaaS vendors are increasingly experimenting with usage-based or value-based pricing, and bundling AI features, which aligns with Thompson's argument that per-seat models face constraints. While AI has begun to automate tasks, the large-scale workforce reduction directly impacting per-seat SaaS growth is not yet fully manifest across all sectors by mid-2026. The full impact of this prediction is still in progress.

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