The UI Moat is Disappearing -What this Means for ERP Talent
The UI Moat Is Disappearing—What This Means for ERP Talent
Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi made a point in a recent TechCrunch interview that should resonate with everyone in the Microsoft Dynamics and NetSuite ecosystem.
His take: AI won’t kill SaaS by replacing systems of record. Nobody’s ripping out their ERP to replace it with a vibe-coded alternative.
The real disruption? The user interface becomes invisible.
“Millions of people around the world got trained on those user interfaces. And so that was the biggest moat that those businesses have,” Ghodsi warned.
For years, we’ve placed Dynamics and NetSuite specialists who built careers mastering complex UIs, navigation patterns, and system-specific workflows.
That expertise commanded premium compensation.
But when the interface is just natural language—when anyone can query the system without learning the tool—what happens to that moat?
Here is my best guess.
The specialists who thrive won’t be the ones who memorized where the buttons are, but rather are the ones who understand the business logic underneath, who can architect solutions, and who know what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers. Meaning, they understand how to leverage the use of technology and these ERP platforms to drive business effectiveness.
For PE/VC portfolio companies evaluating ERP talent post-acquisition: hire for business acumen and implementation methodology, not just tool proficiency.
The plumbing still matters. But the plumbers who understand the whole house will win.
Full credit to: Julie Bort
Venture Editor
Julie Bort is the Startups/Venture Desk editor for TechCrunch.
Databricks CEO Ali Ghodsi made a point in a recent TechCrunch interview that should resonate with everyone in the Microsoft Dynamics and NetSuite ecosystem.
His take: AI won’t kill SaaS by replacing systems of record. Nobody’s ripping out their ERP to replace it with a vibe-coded alternative.
The real disruption? The user interface becomes invisible.
“Millions of people around the world got trained on those user interfaces. And so that was the biggest moat that those businesses have,” Ghodsi warned.
For years, we’ve placed Dynamics and NetSuite specialists who built careers mastering complex UIs, navigation patterns, and system-specific workflows.
That expertise commanded premium compensation.
But when the interface is just natural language—when anyone can query the system without learning the tool—what happens to that moat?
Here is my best guess.
The specialists who thrive won’t be the ones who memorized where the buttons are, but rather are the ones who understand the business logic underneath, who can architect solutions, and who know what questions to ask and how to interpret the answers. Meaning, they understand how to leverage the use of technology and these ERP platforms to drive business effectiveness.
For PE/VC portfolio companies evaluating ERP talent post-acquisition: hire for business acumen and implementation methodology, not just tool proficiency.
The plumbing still matters. But the plumbers who understand the whole house will win.
Full credit to: Julie Bort
Venture Editor
Julie Bort is the Startups/Venture Desk editor for TechCrunch.