Artificial intelligence is reshaping enterprise software. It drives automation, analytics, and new ways of working in almost every department. That same dependence creates a different kind of risk. Most modern SaaS and AI driven platforms sit on top of proprietary models, cloud infrastructure, and third party APIs that are fully controlled by the vendor.
If that vendor has an outage, is acquired, changes strategy, or shuts down, an organization can lose access to critical tools, data, and functions with little warning.
Recent events show this is not theoretical:
Humane Inc., the AI wearable startup behind the “AI Pin”, announced in early 2025 that it would shut down its hardware business and sell its assets to HP Inc. Devices will stop working once the supporting cloud service is turned off.
Peltarion, a well known AI model development platform, was acquired by King Games in 2022 and discontinued shortly afterward.
Untether AI, a high profile AI chip company, closed in 2025, with its team absorbed by AMD and customers left without ongoing product support.
Builder.ai, a no code software builder platform, entered insolvency proceedings in 2025, disrupting customers whose applications depended on its hosted environment.
In each case, enterprises had to scramble to rebuild or replace essential systems, often at high cost and with serious disruption.
Why Software, SaaS, and Technology Escrow Are Critical
A technology escrow arrangement, sometimes called software escrow or SaaS escrow, is a legal agreement that protects access to licensed technology when a vendor can no longer maintain or support it.
Software escrow protects on premise or installed applications by securely holding source code, build instructions, and technical documentation.
SaaS escrow extends protection to hosted solutions, including application data, configuration, and information about hosting environments.
Technology escrow covers a wider set of assets, such as AI models, APIs, firmware, and scripts, so that a business can recover or transition operations in a controlled way.
If a vendor meets defined release conditions, the escrow agent delivers verified materials to the beneficiary. That release supports continuity, compliance, and operational control.
AI Risk and Compliance Obligations
AI introduces governance and compliance issues that go beyond traditional software. Under frameworks such as GDPR, HIPAA, SOC 2, and NIST 800 171, enterprises need to show that they maintain control over business critical systems and data, even when those systems are operated by third party AI vendors.
If a vendor becomes unavailable or restricts access, an organization may face regulatory exposure, contractual breaches, and extended downtime.
A verified escrow agreement functions as a documented continuity plan. It shows auditors, regulators, and stakeholders that the organization has considered vendor failure and put practical safeguards in place.
The PRAXIS Approach to Continuous Protection
PRAXIS Technology Escrow focuses on assurance for enterprises that depend on AI and SaaS vendors. Using a SOC 2 certified infrastructure, Automated Escrow integrations with GitHub and Bitbucket, and its Infinite Retention policy, PRAXIS works to keep deposits current, complete, and securely stored.
The automated process connects directly to the software or SaaS provider’s code archival system and clones new deposits on a scheduled basis. This gives beneficiaries confidence that escrow materials closely match the vendor’s live environment, rather than an outdated snapshot.
Enterprise Buyer’s Escrow Checklist
When negotiating a new software or SaaS agreement, buyers should require the vendor to deposit a complete set of materials in escrow. That deposit is what makes true continuity and compliance possible if release conditions occur.
Core source code and build assets
Full source code for all proprietary components
Build instructions and compilation scripts
Dependency manifests and required third party libraries
Environment variables and configuration files
Container assets such as Dockerfiles and Kubernetes configurations
Infrastructure as code templates such as Terraform or CloudFormation
SaaS and cloud operations materials
System architecture diagrams and data flow maps
Deployment playbooks for production and staging environments
Database schemas and migration scripts
Credentials or access tokens for recovery, stored in a sealed and encrypted form
Backup and restore procedures
API documentation and endpoint specifications
AI and machine learning artifacts
Trained model files, parameters, and model architectures
Training data subsets or suitable synthetic equivalents
Documentation and scripts for model retraining
Version history for datasets and model iterations
Documentation and licensing information
Administrator and user manuals
Internal technical documentation, including wiki exports and runbooks
License keys or entitlement files
Vendor contact and escalation procedures
Third party component licenses and renewal or expiration details
Verification and compliance evidence
Escrow verification reports covering build, deployment, and basic functional tests
SOC 2 or ISO 27001 reports, where applicable
Change logs and release notes for all deposited versions
Version control history that supports traceability
By insisting on this level of detail in software escrow, SaaS escrow, or broader technology escrow deposits, an enterprise improves its ability to rebuild, rehost, or transition mission critical systems if a vendor fails.
Key Takeaways for Decision Makers
Heavy dependence on AI and SaaS increases vendor risk. Even well funded startups can disappear or pivot quickly.
Technology escrow provides an enforceable path to continuity. Under defined conditions, access to verified, usable assets is available.
Comprehensive deposits support compliance and uptime. Regulators and customers expect documented continuity planning, not informal assurances.
Automation improves integrity. Manual deposits tend to become stale before anyone needs them. Automated updates keep escrow contents aligned with production.
Future Proof Your Enterprise
An enterprise technology strategy rests on continuity and trust. Software escrow, SaaS escrow, and technology escrow from PRAXIS help protect those foundations by preserving access to the licensed technology that keeps the business running.
Protect the investment. Protect the compliance posture. Protect the future of the organization.