Artificial intelligence fuels both fascination and concern regarding its impact on business tools and strategies. A key question arises: Is AI devouring existing SaaS solutions, or is it contributing to their transformation and renewal?
A LinkedIn post by Frans Riemersma, Co-Publisher of MartechMap.com, based on his analysis with Scott Brinker, VP Platform Ecosystem at HubSpot and editor at chiefmartec, highlights figures that resonate throughout the SaaS ecosystem:
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1,211 Martech tools removed in 2024
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84% of these tools went bankrupt
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93% of these tools were over 5 years old
These figures raise questions about the lifespan of SaaS solutions in an environment increasingly dominated by powerful AI while forcing industry players to rethink their value creation models and agility.
In this article, we will deeply analyze the impact of AI on the SaaS ecosystem from three angles:
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The categories of tools thriving thanks to AI
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The segments in decline under the pressure of automation and AI
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The reinvented categories, where AI drives constant renewal of solutions
We will then explore underlying trends and provide recommendations for founders, CMOs, and marketing leaders looking to anticipate and navigate this transformation without being overwhelmed by the AI wave.
I. Categories Thriving Thanks to AI
Contrary to the idea that AI systematically destroys SaaS, certain categories are experiencing clear growth due to its integration. These segments include:
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Content Marketing
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Social Media & Influencer Marketing
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Video Marketing
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SEO
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iPaaS & Integration
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Email Marketing
AI enables SaaS solutions to automatically generate quality content, automate visual and video creation, personalize campaigns at scale, and make SEO strategies more agile through the generation of optimized content based on themes or niche keywords.
Additionally, the rise of generative AI, marketing copilots, and integrated LLMs within these tools is transforming user productivity while creating new barriers to entry for less agile competitors. Thus, rather than replacing these SaaS solutions, AI makes them more efficient, faster, and better suited to the personalization needs of businesses.
II. Segments in Decline Under AI Pressure
Conversely, some SaaS categories are taking the brunt of the AI wave, seeing a decline in relevance or market demand. According to data shared by Frans Riemersma, these segments include:
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DAM (Digital Asset Management), MRM (Marketing Resource Management), and PIM (Product Information Management)
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Automation & Lead Management
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Events & Webinars
Intelligent automation and AI’s ability to manage complex data flows in real time are replacing many specialized tools. For instance, AI-powered orchestration systems can integrate digital asset management within overall workflows without the need for isolated DAM platforms.
Moreover, traditional marketing automation tools are becoming obsolete in the face of unified platforms with AI capabilities that analyze customer signals and trigger actions without rigid manual workflows. Finally, the webinar segment is also impacted by declining engagement rates and the proliferation of automated webinar solutions with little perceived differentiation.
III. Reinvented Categories: Between Renewal and Chaos
Some categories do not show clear growth but are in a state of constant transformation due to AI, experiencing high churn rates:
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Sales Automation
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Business Intelligence
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Collaboration
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Customer Service
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Display & Programmatic
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Mobile Marketing
AI is driving rapid innovation within these segments, leading to a constant replacement of existing tools with smarter or more verticalized solutions. For example, customer support is being transformed by LLM-powered chatbots that replace outdated ticketing systems with conversational interfaces.
Business Intelligence is now enhanced by predictive analytics, AI-driven dynamic dashboards, and natural language query assistants that allow teams to ask complex questions without mastering SQL or modeling logic.
This phase of “reinvention” is pushing SaaS platforms to integrate AI natively—not as a mere feature but as a central value driver and a condition for market survival.
IV. Is AI a Predator or a Catalyst for SaaS?
Data shared by Scott Brinker and Frans Riemersma shows that 84% of tools removed in 2024 disappeared due to bankruptcy, and 93% were over five years old. This indicates that AI does not replace the most suitable and up-to-date tools but accelerates the renewal of solutions.
AI is becoming a catalyst for SaaS consolidation:
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Outdated tools or those lacking AI integration quickly lose their competitive edge.
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SaaS startups that natively integrate AI see increased productivity and value.
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Companies seek ready-to-use solutions that deliver immediate value, making AI-powered SaaS solutions more attractive.
Thus, AI is forcing SaaS vendors to rethink their product roadmaps and value creation models: it is not AI that kills SaaS, but SaaS that fails to adapt to AI that disappears.
V. Strategies to Survive and Thrive in the AI Era
For founders and CMOs, several levers can help navigate this period of transition:
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Integrate AI natively, not as a gimmick: Users expect a seamless, AI-augmented experience (copilots, smart recommendations, automations).
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Focus on mass personalization: AI offers a unique opportunity to address individual user needs without operational complexity.
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Optimize operational costs: Using AI to enhance customer support, onboarding, product development, and marketing improves profitability.
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Explore AI-powered micro-SaaS opportunities: Tools targeting very specific problems with refined AI capabilities can quickly capture a segment.
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Prepare for rapid obsolescence: Build your roadmap with rapid testing and continuous iteration to keep pace with AI advancements.
Conclusion
Artificial intelligence is not devouring SaaS solutions; it is reinventing the menu, as Frans Riemersma aptly wrote. Some segments are thriving, others are disappearing, and many are continuously evolving under AI pressure.
SaaS players who embrace AI as a strategic engine rather than a marketing layer will continue to create value, while stagnant solutions will naturally disappear.
The question for SaaS vendors is not whether AI will devour SaaS but whether their SaaS solution is ready to transform and continue to serve its users in an AI-driven world.
At Saas Advisor, we help you identify the most viable SaaS tools aligned with your business objectives.
