Databricks CEO says SaaS isn’t dead, but AI will soon make it irrelevant
AI is not killing software, but making its complex interfaces disappear.
Deep Dive
Databricks reports $5.4B revenue, growing 65% yearly, with over $1.4B from AI. CEO Ali Ghodsi argues AI won't kill SaaS but will make its user interfaces invisible by replacing them with natural language, like their Genie tool. This erodes the 'moat' of specialist training. The company closed a $5B funding round at a $134B valuation but has no immediate IPO plans, focusing on AI-native products like Lakebase.
Why It Matters
AI is fundamentally changing how we interact with all business software, moving beyond simple automation.