Architecting Business Advantage with AI

Why strategy and architecture matter more than technology itself

Everywhere we look, AI is finding its way into workflows. But as this recent article reminded me, speed without direction is drift. Product strategy is the compass. Without it, even the most potent tools accelerate in the wrong direction.

From the perspective of Solution Architecture, the role is about breadth of experience in solving business problems and knowing when and how technology should be applied. The Solution Architect ensures a given project is viable, aligned, and value-driven, avoiding the trap of documenting answers without knowing what is truly possible.

At the same time, Enterprise Architecture provides the broader context. If solution design is the building, enterprise architecture is the city plan. It sets the guardrails and principles that ensure every initiative ladders up to a coherent whole. It translates product strategy into operational direction, guiding AI initiatives so they compound rather than fragment.

The lesson for business leaders is clear: executives do not need to know how AI works. Just as SAP, often criticized as a poor ERP yet sold worldwide, is adopted without most leaders understanding its internals, AI does not require technical fluency at the top. What leaders need is clarity on how strategy, architecture, and now agentic AI come together to solve business problems.

That is the essence of The Business Advantage: applying technology thoughtfully, within a strategic and architectural framework, to solve the right problems.

Credit to: Bandan Singh of Productify for the inspiration of this post.