Technology industry outlook

A shift from paying for access to paying for results amid increased agentic AI adoption presents an existential challenge for traditional pricing models used by software as a service (SaaS) vendors.

To keep up with the changing landscape  , businesses must pivot from the long-standing subscription-based model toward outcome-based pricing.

ChatGPT’s arrival in November 2022 created a surge in public fascination with artificial intelligence and its tremendous potential to disrupt industries and open doors for creativity in fascinating new ways. It didn’t take long for investors and Big Tech to notice, with large AI capital expenditures and significant investments quickly following. Companies like Nvidia became household names, as the computing pioneer reached the top spot for largest U.S. publicly traded company by market capitalization.

But after three years of an unprecedented surge in AI funding, the industry is still figuring out how to monetize the technology while continuing to make sizable investments. While Big Tech firms have pledged to continue massive capital expenditures on AI infrastructure, DeepSeek’s ability to produce high-quality AI while minimizing capital investment has highlighted how dynamic the market is and how rapidly change is arriving.

Quantum computing, which uses qubits and parallel processing, offers substantial speed improvements over traditional computing. However, it requires extremely low temperatures to operate, posing commercialization challenges. Despite sporadic private funding, public investments in quantum technology are substantial, with the U.S. contributing significantly. The convergence of AI and quantum computing promises vast benefits, including advancements in drug therapies and climate solutions, but also presents business risks and requires careful consideration of social and environmental impacts.