The apocryphal quip attributed to Mark Twain, “the rumors of my death are greatly exaggerated,” rings true for certain companies in the software space amidst widespread but premature fears of AI-driven obsolescence. Over the last year, approximately $2 trillion in software value has been torched on fears that AI will render many software businesses obsolete
Canva has spent years proving that it can do something many high-growth startups struggle to achieve: grow rapidly while making money. Then came generative AI. The design-software company cut its expected revenue growth rate by a third to 20% after the unexpectedly high cost of delivering AI features prompted it to slow its rollout. Canva
AI hasn’t just changed the way startups are built; It’s unclear how they sell, protect their data and customers, and scale faster than ever. At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, AI Stage returns to delve into the hottest topic in the community in recent years, brought to you by Google for Startups. This time, we’re exploring the
The term “SaaSpocalypse” arrived in February 2026 as a way to describe a market shock. $285 billion in soKware valuaLons erased in 48 hours. Traders coined it as shorthand for panic. But strip away the drama, and what you’re left with is a genuine repricing of where enterprise software value actually lives. I’ve spent years