The Software Pricing War and AI Power Bottlenecks

Software vendors are discounting AI features to defend seat-based revenue while a projected 20-gigawatt power shortfall could constrain AI compute buildout through 2035.

• Discounting spreads across SaaS: HubSpot offers 30-day free AI agent trials (CEO admits it weighed on growth), Workday gives free Sona Enterprise AI access for a year, and Figma cut AI feature prices by as much as half after switching to usage-based pricing in March.
• Pricing power hinges on model commoditization: Laura Bratton says software firms may only be able to charge true delivery cost for now, risking investor punishment if margins don't expand within a year.

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