The Professional Services Pursuit · 2026-04-16 · 30 min
AI isn’t just disrupting SaaS, it’s forcing a fundamental rethink of what software is actually worth. In this episode, Brent sits down with Kantata CEO Michael Speranza to unpack the growing tension across the market: buyers questioning why they should pay for software they think AI can build, and boards pushing leaders to prove long-term, defensible value. The conversation goes beyond the hype to explore what truly survives in an AI-driven world, and why the future of SaaS has far less to do with code and far more to do with context. Key Topics Covered The new “build vs. buy” reality: Why buyers are questioning SaaS in the age of AI, and where that thinking falls short Who’s actually at risk: The types of SaaS companies most vulnerable in this shift (and why) The death of code as a moat: How value is moving from product to data, workflows, and domain expertise Context as the new advantage: Why owning deep customer understanding is becoming the ultimate differentiator What survives - and wins: The traits of SaaS companies that will endure and thrive in an AI-driven market Read Michael’s recent article, AI Is Coming for SaaS.
Ep. 120 - Outputs vs. Outcomes: Why AI Is Forcing Consulting to Reinvent Itself w/ Tom Rodenhauser72 / 100Ep. 119 - Agent Sprawl: Why More AI Is Making Professional Services Harder w/ Michael Speranza & Sarah EdwardsEp. 118 - Managing Unpredictability in Projects by Closing the Scope-to-Delivery Gap w/ Anish UdayakumarEp. 117 - The 3 Shifts That Will Make or Break Consulting Firms in 2026 w/ Sarah EdwardsEp. 116 - From Dependency to Autonomy: Consulting Rewired w/ Sarah Edwards & James Cawthorne