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When our children grow up, they'll think our generation used to live in the stone age. We used software like Word and Excel – digital versions of paper and calculators. We had to learn how to use these tools, then do all the work ourselves. To them, that will seem as outdated as using an abacus seems to us.
The next generation will grow up with software that actually gets things done. They won't write reports in Word – they'll tell AI what insights they need and get the finished analysis. They won't build spreadsheets in Excel – they'll ask for revenue projections and get complete financial models.
This is AI redefining what SaaS means: from Software as a Service to Service as a Software.
The new paradigm: Service as a Software
Traditional SaaS was simple: rent access to software, figure out how to use it yourself. You got Salesforce but still needed salespeople. You got HubSpot but still needed marketers. You got the tools, not the results.
Service as a Software flips this completely. Instead of renting a CRM and hiring sales staff, you buy qualified leads delivered to your inbox. Instead of subscribing to analytics software, you get actionable insights generated automatically.
AI can now perform complex knowledge work. We have AI therapists, lawyers, doctors, and UX consultants doing actual work. A luggage company used AI to interview 78 customers, leading to web pages with 25% higher conversion rates. McKinsey charges $10 million for market research that Google's Deep Research delivers for $20.
With a cliche proverb: Traditional SaaS gave you a fishing rod. Service as a Software delivers the fish.
Why unlimited productivity is a myth
But here's the problem with this new paradigm: it's making us dangerously lazy.
MIT studies show that when people use AI for tasks, their brains exhibit significantly reduced cognitive activity. A comprehensive study of 285 university students found that 68.9% of observed laziness could be directly attributed to AI impact.
It makes perfect sense that people are excited at the prospect of being able to effortlessly create three articles per day with AI. But the reality of AI-assisted productivity is a bit less rosy.
Even when AI delivers perfect content, someone still needs to contextualize it. This includes posting the AI-generated articles, promoting them, adding personal touches, and building relationships with clients. The AI handles content creation, but the human work shifts to strategy, empathy, and leadership.
This is crucial: Service as a Software doesn't eliminate human work – it changes what that work looks like. The barrier to success moves from technical execution to emotional intelligence, strategic thinking, and personal connection.
Teaching the next generation
We need to prepare the next generation for this reality. The jobs that survive will require skills AI can't replicate: empathy, strategic decision-making, leadership, and the ability to put AI-generated results into meaningful context.
Our children need to learn how to think critically about AI outputs, not just consume them. They need to understand when to trust AI and when human judgment is essential. Most importantly, they need to develop the uniquely human skills that will remain valuable.
The pressure on Agiledrop
I feel this shift directly at our company. Every day, AI coding tools get better. If anyone can "vibe-code" their CRM, what happens to development companies like mine?
Here's why I'm optimistic: people are getting lazier, not more technical. Even if coding becomes easier, most business owners won't try to build their own systems. Those who do will often create a mess that needs technical experts to fix.
The human work in software development is shifting. Less time writing basic code, more time on architecture, integration, and making complex systems work together. Someone still needs to tie everything together, understand business requirements, and ensure different AI-generated components actually work as a cohesive system.
What this means for business
In 10 years, children who are now learning to count and write will live in a world where AI writes reports and calculates everything instantly. But I'm not worried about teaching my children handwriting or basic math. I'm worried about teaching them to think for themselves when machines can think faster.
The real question isn't whether AI will change your business – it will. The question is: when AI can do most of the work, what uniquely human value will you and your children bring to the world?
