Jake Saper (Emergence Capital): 'SaaS Must Shift From Selling Tools to Selling Outcomes — A Fundamental DNA Shift'

X/Twitter·low signal

Emergence Capital GP Jake Saper argued that SaaS companies face a 'fundamental DNA shift' from selling tools to selling outcomes, predicting that 2026 will expose which AI services companies are truly automated versus relying on human labor. He notes AI products are capturing 25-50% of created value — significantly higher than traditional SaaS's 10-20%. Companies that can't demonstrate AI-driven delivery will 'stall or reset.' For builders: this frames the competitive moat — it's not about having an AI feature, it's about whether AI actually delivers the outcome or just assists a human who does.