Possible · Reid Hoffman

After SaaS

March 25, 2026·21 min

1. Possible opens by asking whether SaaS is dead after Mark Cuban said software is dead and a Cloud Code tweet moved SaaS stocks down more than 5%. 2. Reid Hoffman is the host, and the guest is answering a question about software as a service and product customization. 3. The episode asks what "SaaS is dead" means in practice, and whether fixed software products are being replaced by adaptive systems. 4. The guest says he agrees with one sense of the claim and disagrees with the common inference people draw from it. 5. He says the exact SaaS model of the last 20 years is "no longer sustainable." 6. He describes the old model as building out a SaaS category until it becomes detailed enough to be "table stakes" after a billion dollars of software development. 7. He says companies then acquire a large share of the market while continuing to grow. 8. He argues that this structure closes the door to startup competitors. 9. He says the result is relatively high margins because there is "relatively little competition." 10. He compares that outcome to an "oligopoly" and says the auto industry works in a similar way. 11. He says a competitive oligopoly can still produce good consumer and societal output. 12. He contrasts that older model with software that is generated and specific to each individual company’s use case. 13. He says some people are excited about that change because they have been annoyed by "one-size-fits-all software." 14. The opening frames the debate around whether software itself is dying or only changing form. 15. The guest’s strongest claim is that the product model, not the code, is what is breaking down. 16. The episode treats customization as a market shift rather than a pure technology story. 17. The tone is direct and analytical, with Reid Hoffman pressing a current-market question and the guest answering in a framework-driven way. 18. The format is a conversational interview that moves from a news hook into an argument about industry structure. 19. People tracking SaaS, startup competition, or software customization would likely get the most from it. 20. Listeners looking for a narrative story or product walkthrough may skip it.

As heard by us

A grounded case for software becoming more adaptive, not disappearing.

The episode treats "SaaS is dead" less like a slogan and more like a real question about what software turns into when AI can generate more of the workflow on demand.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

If you want the real argument behind "SaaS is dead," start here.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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