Can AI Tollgates Become the New SaaS Model?

AI agents are forcing enterprise software companies to defend the business model that made them rich: charging for every human user.

Companies like ServiceNow and SAP are starting to redraw the boundaries around their software, with some restricting how outside agents get in. Others are testing new usage-based pricing models to reflect how AI agents can multiply the software work a single user can trigger.  The question now is whether incumbents can turn AI agent activity into a durable revenue stream—without angering customers who believe they already own the underlying data.