Before replacing SaaS subscriptions with internally built AI software, executives should evaluate the full lifecycle cost of ownership rather than focusing on development cost alone.
The key question is not whether the organisation can build a tool, but whether it has the capacity and resilience to maintain, secure, and continuously evolve it over time.
This includes assessing who will own the system long term, how knowledge will be distributed to avoid critical dependencies on individuals, and whether the organisation is prepared to absorb the operational burden currently carried by SaaS vendors.
A few weeks ago, a group of journalists from CNBC used AI coding tools to recreate the core functionality of the project management platform Monday.com over a single weekend.
The 💜 of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!The result triggered a sharp drop in the company’s share price, a wave of commentary about a coming ‘SaaSpocalypse’, and an uncomfortable question in boardrooms around the world: if software can be rebuilt that quickly, what exactly are companies paying for when they buy SaaS?
