CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz rejected the theory that artificial intelligence will make cloud-based software obsolete. “I don’t really buy that,” Kurtz told Jim Cramer on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Streets” Thursday morning. “I think you need software to protect AI. They’re interconnected. You don’t have to have one without the other.” There are two sides to the central debate about AI-killing software, which has evolved since agent AI, a new class of autonomous agents, gained traction as a more automated way to run business. First, the perceived threat is that customers who integrate AI-enabled tools do not have to pay as much for access to a suite of Software-as-a-Service tools because they operate independently with little or no human intervention. In the SaaS model, clients are charged per seat. The second layer of concern is that AI will become so good at writing computer code that customers won’t need SaaS businesses as much because AI will do it for them. Kurtz argued that the new wave of agent AI “will only accelerate SaaS,” citing the fact that SaaS providers are leveraging AI to develop better applications and software for their customers. He also believes this dynamic works in CrowdStrike’s favor because it provides cybersecurity and AI protection through its software. CrowdStrike’s cloud-native Falcon platform uses AI to prevent breaches and eliminate the need for on-premises servers. CrowdStrike also protects other SaaS players, including Salesforce. CRWD YTD Mountain CRWD’s performance since the beginning of the year. CrowdStrike stock rose more than 3% on Thursday, hitting another intraday high. The stock is CNBC Investing Club’s third-best performer in 2025, up more than 50% since the beginning of the year. Palo Alto Networks, the name of the cybersecurity peer club, rose 1.5% on Thursday, extending its year-to-date gain by 18%. Salesforce is also included in the club’s portfolio.
