The adoption of AI agents remains in its infancy: only 6% of companies use them in production, according to a Bank of America survey of 3,000 respondents. The main obstacles concern pricing and uncertainty about the total cost of ownership. The authors point out that most SaaS publishers are already developing their own agent solutions and enjoy the trust of businesses when it comes to data security and governance.
At an industry conference organized by Bank of America, feedback from customers and partners confirmed that native solutions (OpenAI, Anthropic) are appealing for their innovation, although lack product depth and compliance guarantees for mass deployment in companies. Customers prefer to rely on SaaS publishers that are already integrated into their IT systems. In addition, OpenAI's strategy currently seems to be more focused on consumer monetization and advertising than on the enterprise, which gives SaaS players time to strengthen their offerings.
According to Bank of America analysts, the stockmarket correction of SaaS stocks seems largely excessive compared to fundamentals. The adoption of native AI remains limited, and SaaS publishers retain a competitive advantage thanks to their integration, credibility, and ability to offer AI solutions tailored to businesses. The challenge for investors is not an imminent threat, but a long-term opportunity to improve workflows within existing software ecosystems.
