When AI Can Rebuild the Software, What Are We Actually Paying For?
When AI Can Rebuild the Software, What Are We Actually Paying For? Enterprise Architecture // Software Economics When AI Can Rebuild the Software, What Are We Actually Paying For? AI-assisted development, open-source alternatives and the future of subscription software. Oct 2026 · 18 min read · AI • Enterprise Architecture • Open Source When AI makes it substantially cheaper to reproduce software, what are we actually paying for in a subscription? We are beginning to see AI-assisted, open-source projects attempt to recreate familiar experiences from Microsoft Office and Adobe's creative applications. But reproducing a feature list is not the same as reproducing enterprise trust. And that distinction may determine where the value of professional software resides in the years ahead. If the cost...