SaaS Backwards - Reverse Engineering SaaS Success Ep. 188 - SaaS in the Age of AI: Augment, Bolt On, or Become Obsolete
How SaaS CEOs Should Navigate AI-Native, AI-Augmented, and Bolt-On AI Strategies to Protect Revenue and Reduce Churn
Guest: Ken Lempit, President & Chief Strategist at Austin Lawrence Group
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AI is not just another feature cycle — it’s an inflection point for SaaS.
In this episode of SaaS Backwards, Ken Lempit steps into the guest seat to break down what AI really means for SaaS companies, especially mid-market and enterprise software vendors trying to protect revenue while planning their next product evolution.
Ken draws a powerful parallel between today’s AI shift and the early 2000s transition from client-server to cloud — arguing that this AI cycle is moving faster and carries even greater competitive risk.
He explains the critical differences between:
- AI-native SaaS products
- AI-augmented platforms
- Bolt-on AI features
And why the wrong strategy could quietly increase churn, shrink pipeline, and erode relevance.
You’ll also hear:
- How to diagnose whether you have a GTM problem or a product relevance problem
- Why “vibe coding” poses real risk to mid-market SaaS vendors
- Short-term product and pricing moves to survive the next 12–18 months
- Lessons from BackEngine’s pivot from conversation mining to revenue enablement
- Why your AI narrative may matter more than your marketing spend
If you’re a SaaS CEO, founder, or go-to-market leader wondering how aggressive your AI roadmap needs to be, this episode is your strategic wake-up call.
Get a free SaaS GTM Checkup: https://info.austinlawrence.com/saas-gtm-checkup
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