AI as a Force Multiplier: How Enterprises and ISVs Will Do More With Less 

Artificial Intelligence is no longer an R&D playground or a capability reserved for tech giants. It has become a strategic priority for every modern enterprise. While most organizations are experimenting with AI, only a few are realizing its true business value. The difference has less to do with the models being used and far more to do with how well companies bridge the gap between innovation and execution.

Over the past few decades, I’ve helped build products and platforms that enable businesses to do more with less. But AI, especially machine learning, has changed the game. It isn’t simply a more advanced version of the software we’ve written in the past. It demands new architecture, new thinking, and a shift in how we at Xebia deliver value. We’re no longer coding fixed instructions; we’re training systems to recognize patterns, make predictions, and evolve continuously.

AI can now act as a force multiplier, helping companies achieve larger outcomes with fewer resources. Yet doing more with less isn’t only about automation or productivity. It’s about aligning AI with operational strategy so organizations can make smarter decisions, improve workflows, and unlock new opportunities.

Moving Past the Hype: The Enterprise Reality Check

Gartner's 2024 Hype Cycle for AI clarifies that generative AI has passed the "Peak of Inflated Expectations" and is entering the "Trough of Disillusionment." While GenAI investment is at an all-time high, Gartner analysts warn that it has yet to deliver its anticipated business value in most cases. This moment calls for realism over buzzwords. Enterprises must resist the urge to implement flashy pilots that go nowhere, and instead focus on initiatives that tie directly to operations, efficiency, and customer impact. 

The message is clear: AI isn’t magic. It’s a business tool. A friend. And like any tool, its value depends on how and where you use it. 

Bridging Innovation and Execution

Many enterprises struggle to connect cutting-edge innovation with day-to-day operations. The question isn’t whether AI can transform your business; it’s whether you can integrate it into your workflows in a sustainable, ROI-positive way. 

This is where the gap lies: between AI experimentation and enterprise transformation. Closing this gap requires cross-functional collaboration, deep operational knowledge, and leadership buy-in. It also requires rethinking how your teams work. 

In my work, I’ve seen the difference between AI used as a novelty and AI embedded into a company's DNA. The latter requires companies to fundamentally rethink not just what they do but how they do it. This includes changing how teams collaborate, how decisions are made, and how products evolve. 

According to Boston Consulting Group, only 4% of companies have achieved cutting-edge AI capabilities across functions and consistently generate significant value. Why? Because the most successful companies invest not only in AI tools, but in people and processes. BCG reports that leading companies dedicate about 70% of their AI effort to change management, training, and new ways of working—and only 30% to the technology itself. 

This shows that technology alone won’t get you to impact. Real transformation happens when leaders invest in how teams adopt, govern, and apply AI at every level. It’s about building new habits, not just new systems. And it explains why so many AI initiatives stall after initial pilots—they fail to bring people along. 

From Strategy to Action: Cross-Industry Impact

AI is already reshaping the way industries operate: 

These examples aren’t about futuristic AI. They’re about what’s already working in the field—where innovation meets execution. 

Doing More with Less: AI-Infused SDLC for ISVs and IP Building 

The impact of AI isn’t limited to consumption-side efficiencies. At the source, where products and software are created—AI is transforming how organizations innovate. 

For Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and enterprises building their own intellectual property, AI is reshaping the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). Integrating AI into development processes is making software faster, smarter, and more adaptive: 

By embedding AI throughout the SDLC, ISVs and IP-driven enterprises can accelerate time-to-market, lower costs, improve product quality, and free their engineering teams to focus on higher-order innovation. 

Whether on the source-side building the future or on the consumption side (driving efficiency and outcomes) AI enables organizations to do more with less. 

The Enterprise Shift: AI-Infused Efficiency

Across the enterprise landscape, AI is pushing companies to rethink how value is created. 

"Doing more with less" no longer means simply working harder. It means strategically applying AI to automate repetitive tasks, streamline workflows, and unlock new levels of performance. In IT services, for example, as AI automates software development, testing, and support, traditional staffing models are giving way to outcome-based approaches powered by AI-enabled solutions. 

I know, making time to adapt to this ‘Run the Business’ versus ‘Change the Business’ is not easy.  

The upside? Leaner, AI-first firms can deliver higher-value outcomes faster, with smaller teams and more agility. Firms that embrace this shift are not just cutting costs. They are positioning themselves to lead in the next era of value creation. 

At Xebia, we see firsthand how integrating AI into services doesn’t just make delivery faster or cheaper. It enables entirely new business models. 

Preparing for the Future of Work 

The conversation around AI often focuses on tools. But the real opportunity lies in how enterprises prepare their people. 

Employees are increasingly augmenting their work with AI. From drafting proposals, analyzing data, and coding features. For this augmentation to succeed, organizations must invest in training, frameworks, and governance. 

As BCG emphasizes, successful adoption depends on workforce transformation. Enterprises must: 

By doing so, AI becomes more than a technology play—it becomes a foundation for cultural and organizational evolution. 

Build the Bridge Now 

The chasm between AI innovation and operational integration remains wide for many companies. But the path forward is clear: 

AI isn’t about replacing people. It’s about empowering them to do what they do best. At Xebia, we believe in helping enterprises bridge this gap—so they can move beyond pilots and prototypes, and truly execute, evolve, and lead.