SAAS DATA MOATS: WHY PROPRIETARY DATA IS THE STRONGEST COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE IN 2026

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

As AI makes software features easier to replicate, proprietary data is becoming a stronger competitive moat. The advantage comes from data that is unique and improves the product with each customer interaction. A data flywheel can make this advantage compound as more usage creates better insights. However, data only becomes a moat at sufficient scale and with strong governance. Otherwise, it can become an expensive liability rather than a defensible advantage.