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The explosion of AI-powered development will increase the number of software builders from millions to over a billion. This dramatically expands the market for SaaS tools like Figma that cater to product development, turning a perceived threat into a massive opportunity.
A key data point validating Figma's long-term strategy is that 60% of files created in its AI web builder, Figma Make, are by non-designers. This demonstrates that AI is accelerating the trend of democratizing design and expanding the total addressable market far beyond traditional product designers.
Just as YouTube lowered media distribution costs, AI is lowering software development costs. This could shift the SaaS market away from large, one-size-fits-all platforms toward a model where small, elite teams deliver highly customized software solutions directly to enterprise clients.
Contrary to fears of AI making SaaS obsolete, the reality is that most enterprise software is deeply flawed. A contrarian view is that AI will provide the tools to finally rebuild these systems better, creating a massive new wave of demand for software development and product design.
The "SaaS apocalypse" will target "beta" software—tools that make companies more similar to their competitors. Conversely, "alpha" software—platforms that allow a company to express its unique strategy and competitive advantage—will thrive as AI makes customization and differentiation easier.
For decades, buying generalized SaaS was more efficient than building custom software. AI coding agents reverse this. Now, companies can build hyper-specific, more effective tools internally for less cost than a bloated SaaS subscription, because they only need to solve their unique problem.
Over 60% of files created in Figma's AI-powered tool, Figma Make, are by non-designers. This demonstrates the original Figma thesis that expanding the user base beyond professional designers is a massive opportunity, proving that intuitive, visual-first tools can successfully democratize creation and web development.
Contrary to the "SaaS-pocalypse" theory, AI agents will become a new, high-volume user base for SaaS tools. This will drive massive growth for companies that adapt their products to be usable by both humans and AI agents simultaneously.
Software companies like Figma, whose stocks had fallen dramatically, are experiencing a resurgence. By integrating AI features, Figma accelerated its quarterly revenue growth from 40% to 46%, proving that AI can be a powerful catalyst for recovery and growth in the SaaS sector.
Contrary to fears of a 'SaaS apocalypse,' AI agents could make platforms more valuable. By removing human limits like learning curves and work hours, agents can use software tools 24/7 at scale. This unlocks immense, previously untapped utility, shifting value from per-seat fees to high-volume consumption revenue.
As AI tools like Claude Code make it easy for customers to build their own software, SaaS companies are the most threatened. To survive, they must become the most aggressive adopters of AI, creating a reflexive loop where they accelerate the very trend that undermines their business model.