Agents of Scale

Is SaaS really dead? Dharmesh Shah from HubSpot on AI, Vibe-Coding & the Future of Work


Listen Later

Is SaaS about to be replaced by people “vibe-coding” their own apps — or is something deeper at stake? Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot, joins Wade to cut through the hype and give a refreshingly practical view of how companies should show up for AI.

Dharmesh argues the right question isn’t “How do I compete against AI?” but “How do I compete with AI?” — and explains how culture, curiosity, and a little bit of tinkering unlock real value. From practical starting points for SMBs, to why large SaaS vendors still have a massive advantage, to the power of simulation and retrieval-augmented workflows, this episode maps out what leaders and teams should actually do next.

In this episode you’ll hear:

  • Why “compete with AI” beats “compete against AI.”
  • The rituals that help organizations adopt AI (hackathons, demos, and scheduled retries).
  • Low-risk starting points: creation → synthesis → automation → simulation.
  • Why large SaaS companies likely aren’t going extinct — and when vibe-coding does make sense.
  • How AI can amplify careers: automate the small stuff, get promoted to bigger problems.
  • Practical ideas for marketing, personalization, and building dynamic UIs that fade into the background.

Guest: Dharmesh Shah — Co-founder & CTO, HubSpot


Subscribe for more Agents of Scale — actionable conversations with builders, leaders, and product thinkers who are shaping the next era of work.


Try Zapier for yourself: https://bit.ly/4hWQES5


If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share with someone building for the future.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Agents of ScaleBy Wade Foster

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

6 ratings


More shows like Agents of Scale

View all
Radiolab by WNYC Studios

Radiolab

43,915 Listeners

The a16z Show by Andreessen Horowitz

The a16z Show

1,103 Listeners

Pod Save America by Pod Save America

Pod Save America

87,976 Listeners