There is a moment right now to sell big software platforms again because AI represents a fundamental rethinking of workflows, not just a skeuomorphic replacement of existing cloud tools.
Joe argues that while the last 15 years favored PLG and wedge strategies due to cloud-to-cloud inertia, AI creates a once-in-a-generation opportunity to sell entirely new platform solutions because workflows are being fundamentally reimagined. ✦ AI generated
Joe Schmidt · a16z Podcast · 2026-08-13 · original ↗
starts at this moment · 34:05
“Is the idea of the seller sort of becoming less relevant now?”
We're now looking at a different way of doing business entirely. This is not a skeuomorphic one-to-one replacement, green to blue. We're now thinking about like humans are going to be doing something completely different, way more high value. We're going to be doing way less of the same kind of mundane wrote work. And instead agents are going to be doing that. And so that's I think the opportunity right now, and it's why instead of talking about PLG and all these other sales models, there's a moment right now to go sell big software again.
verbatim transcript · starts at 34:05
34:05We're now looking at a different way of doing business entirely. This is not a skeuomorphic one-to-one replacement, green to blue. We're now thinking about like humans are going to be doing something completely different, way more high value. We're going to be doing way less of the the same kind of, you know, mundane wrote work. Um, and instead agents are going to be doing that doing that. And so that's I think the
34:21opportunity right now, and it's why instead of talking about like of course we got to talk about PLG and like all these other sales models, there's a moment right now to go sell, you know, big software again, right? And to And to go sell platforms. And And it's because of this moment. Um and so I think people need to be studying kind of the 15 years ago models of like how
34:41people build this and the and the ecosystems around it um to go and have success. >> Yeah, I think that's right. I I will say I think the consistent trend as long as I've been doing this is that, you know, every year and with every technology transition, buyers become more and more educated, right? So the buyer today is just fundamentally has a better idea of what they want than they did 5 years
35:00ago, 10 years ago, 15 years ago. >> Yeah. >> And so, you know, that does lend itself more towards, you know, if you can hit that buyer when they're in their decision mode, you're going to have a better chance. It doesn't have to necessarily be PLG, but it can be more self-serve. It can be it should be an easier sell than, you know, 10, 15, 20 years ago where you had to take them on
35:20this entire education journey, why you need this, how it works, here's how you're going to write. Like they're just so much more educated now on what they want to buy that your job is just convince them that your company is the right solution for that. >> Amen. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I guess there the lighthouse kind of like definition just gets pushed ever outwards or you kind of like, yeah, just