According to Leggett, the major CRM platform providers have built-in advantages: a protective wall around their data, industry-specific knowledge and workflows, deep partner networks, proven industry practices and expertise in regulatory fields. TBRI’s Demeule also points out that established providers have endured in the long term precisely because they have been able to successfully realign themselves with each wave of disruption – be it transitioning from on-premises solutions to the cloud or switching from perpetual licenses to subscriptions.
Vibe coding as a disruptor of specific segments
Industry Outlook: Vibe coding could challenge the dominance of SaaS providers and give end users the ability to create their own agents.
Vibe coding, using AI agents to create software based on simple natural language input, takes the low-code and no-code movement to a new level. Using Vibe coding, software users can leverage AI services to create a productivity app that goes beyond the limitations of a traditional CRM or ERP platform.
Leggett says vibe coding poses a real threat because it potentially allows workers to be more productive. This makes it possible to bypass traditional platforms for enterprise software, also because many users view them as bloated and complicated.
Companies that are technologically backward may not have the skills or confidence to develop and deploy their own agents that impact business-critical workflows. “We view vibe coding as a one-off solution as disruptive,” says Demeule. “Business models for small, isolated solutions are in great danger due to AI agents. But anyone who manages complex, business-critical infrastructures is currently safe because AI has not yet mastered this complexity.”
An agentic orchestration layer emerges
Industry Outlook: Traditional SaaS applications will continue to exist, but they will likely be hidden behind an agentic orchestration layer.
Analysts agree that the user interface of the future will not be the traditional SaaS solution, but agentic, while the CRM or ERP system takes a back seat. IDC analyst Bo Lykkegaard explains the trend: “Complexity is the Achilles’ heel of the SaaS model. Each SaaS application requires its own learning curve and user interface, which quickly leads to inefficiencies with sporadic use.”
AI offers a compelling solution here: Instead of navigating through multiple dashboards, users could interact with agent-driven, conversational interfaces that perform tasks across systems. The result? “AI as a new interface layer that abstracts complexity, automates repetitive processes and redefines how people use software.” The key question for the coming years: Will CIOs source this functionality from their current software suppliers or from disruptors like OpenAI, Anthropic and Palantir? (ajf/jd)
