Die Zukunft des Software Asset Management: SAM im Jahr 2050

Software Asset Management (SAM) is a dynamic professional field that has to keep pace with technological and social developments. What does the future of SAM look like? What new topics and challenges will we face? A visionary look into the year 2050 shows exciting perspectives - and illustrates how comprehensively our professional field could change.

A key question for the future is: What is "software" anyway? The clear distinction between software and services is becoming increasingly blurred. Even today, many people access applications and tools via a browser without installing anything - whether on a PC, smartphone, tablet or smartwatch. This development also presents SAM managers with the challenge of defining which tasks actually belong to SAM.

However, the fundamental task of the software and license manager remains the same: to create maximum transparency across all digital services - regardless of whether they are provided locally, cloud-based, permanently or via a subscription model. The aim is to ensure compliance with the terms of use and to achieve economic benefits for companies.

Technological developments have repeatedly revolutionized our understanding of consumption and use. A look at the music industry shows this impressively: around 100 years ago, live concerts were the only way to listen to an artist's music. Later, the CD brought the permanent right to listen directly into the living room for a one-off payment. Today, streaming services dominate, where music is used on a subscription model - without permanent ownership rights.

A similar change has also taken place in the software industry. Many manufacturers have already largely completed the transition from a purchase to a subscription model. Instead of one-off license costs, companies now pay recurring fees for cloud services or software subscriptions. One prominent example is the "pay-as-you-go" model, in which only the resources actually used in the cloud are billed. This model offers flexibility and cost control, but also poses new challenges for software asset management - such as monitoring and optimizing usage in order to avoid unnecessary expenditure.

The development towards flexible subscription models could also take place in other sectors. A "drive" subscription is conceivable in the automotive industry: Instead of buying a car, users could subscribe to driving services. Different packages - from Basic (city driving only) to Advanced (interurban driving) to Premium (highway use with graduated speed limits) - could shape the market.

These developments open up new perspectives for software asset management. The management and optimization of these flexible and dynamic models will become the core task of future SAM managers - and shows how strongly the professional field could develop.

Digital services are becoming increasingly strategically important for companies. A "Drive" subscription could become an essential part of the business strategy for fleets of logistics companies, delivery services or car sharing providers, for example. Here, an EDS manager would ensure that usage is organized efficiently - be it through the selection of suitable service packages or the optimization of cost structures.

In companies, today's SAM manager could become an "external digital service manager" (EDS manager) - a key role that goes beyond software and manages all external digital services. This profession could make a significant contribution to ensuring efficiency, cost-effectiveness and transparency in an increasingly digital world.

Will artificial intelligence (AI) make the job of SAM manager redundant? This question is justified, but the answer is nuanced. Manfred Spitzer, one of the leading neuroscientists, sheds light on this in his book "Künstliche Intelligenz - Dem Menschen überlegen: How AI is saving and threatening us", Manfred Spitzer examines the impact of AI on various niche professions. His conclusion is always similar: AI will not completely replace specialized experts, but it will fundamentally change the requirements for these professions.

If Spitzer had studied the SAM manager profession, his conclusion might well be: "AI will not replace SAM managers - but SAM managers who don't use AI will be replaced by those who do."

The message is clear: the use of AI will be crucial to overcoming future challenges in software asset management. SAM managers who use AI-supported tools can make their work more efficient and strategic - and thus remain indispensable in an increasingly digitalized world.

The requirements for SAM are constantly evolving - and we as professionals have to adapt accordingly and find innovative solutions. Whether new technologies, business models or job profiles such as the EDS manager: our future lies in the combination of visionary thinking and practice-oriented implementation.

Let's discuss this together: What fields do you see for the future of SAM? Share your ideas and visions - perhaps at the next event or in a relaxed discussion. The future is open - and we are helping to shape it.