From SaaS To RaaS: How AI Agents Are Redefining Software

Forbes - Apr 23rd, 2025

Aditya Lahiri, Co-Founder & CTO of OpenFunnel, highlights the shift from Software as a Service (SaaS) to Result as a Service (RaaS), where businesses pay for measurable outcomes instead of mere software access. This transformation is powered by AI agents capable of performing tasks traditionally managed by humans, ensuring that compensation is directly linked to business impact. RaaS is more than a pricing model; it represents a fundamental reimagining of the vendor-client relationship, fostering perfect alignment of incentives and shared risk and reward.

The move towards RaaS is particularly evident in the go-to-market sector, where AI agents enhance human performance. Companies like Intercom adopt this model, charging only when AI agents successfully resolve tasks. The adoption of RaaS requires overcoming challenges such as data integration and the necessity for governance frameworks to ensure AI decisions are interpretable. This paradigm shift signifies a reinvention of business software, emphasizing outcome-driven engagement over traditional subscription models. The future market leaders will be those who embrace AI-driven automation and prioritize delivering measurable results.

Ai Agents Y Combinator Saa S Aditya Lahiri Open Funnel Result As A Service Business Technology Ai Driven Automation

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

5.4

Moderately Fair

Read with skepticism

The article provides an insightful look into the emerging trend of Result as a Service (RaaS) powered by AI agents, highlighting its potential to redefine business software models. While it effectively communicates the benefits and transformative potential of RaaS, it lacks balance and depth by omitting potential drawbacks and critical perspectives. The absence of direct sources and citations raises questions about the accuracy and reliability of specific claims, particularly those involving company practices and technological capabilities. Despite these shortcomings, the article is timely and relevant, engaging readers with its clear language and structured presentation. It has the potential to influence discussions among technology professionals, though its impact may be limited by its one-sided perspective. Overall, the article succeeds in introducing a compelling topic but would benefit from greater transparency and a more balanced exploration of the issues at hand.

Accuracy

The story makes several factual claims that align with current trends in business technology, such as the shift from SaaS to RaaS and the use of AI agents. However, specific claims, such as the role of Aditya Lahiri at OpenFunnel and the company's backing by Y Combinator, require verification. The claim that companies like Intercom charge based on AI agent success also needs substantiation. While the general concept of RaaS is plausible, the article lacks direct citations or evidence to support these specific examples, which affects its overall accuracy.

Balance

The article predominantly presents a positive perspective on the transition from SaaS to RaaS and the role of AI agents in this transformation. It lacks a balanced view by not addressing potential drawbacks or criticisms of the RaaS model, such as privacy concerns or the reliability of AI agents. The piece could benefit from including perspectives from industry skeptics or examples where RaaS has not been successful, which would provide a more comprehensive view of the topic.

Clarity

The article is generally clear and well-structured, with a logical flow that guides the reader through the evolution from SaaS to RaaS. The language is professional and accessible, making complex topics understandable to a general audience. However, some technical terms and concepts, such as 'vector search engine,' could benefit from further explanation to enhance clarity for non-expert readers.

Source quality

The article does not provide specific sources for its claims, relying instead on assertions and examples without direct attribution. The mention of Aditya Lahiri's research and collaborations with institutions like Stanford and Google Research adds some credibility, but these claims are not directly supported with citations or links to relevant studies. This lack of source variety and authority diminishes the reliability of the reporting.

Transparency

The article lacks transparency in its methodology and the basis for its claims. It does not disclose potential conflicts of interest, especially considering the author's position at OpenFunnel. The reader is not informed about how the data supporting the claims was gathered or analyzed, which impacts the article's transparency and the reader's ability to assess its impartiality.