Human effort has traditionally driven the adoption of technology services—programmers coding algorithms and business logic into executable programmes, analysts managing data, system integrators deploying and maintaining infrastructure, and consultants optimising enterprise workflows. However, with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), a fundamental shift is underway: human-led services are becoming AI-led software. Instead of hiring large teams of human specialists, businesses will increasingly incorporate AI-powered tools and platforms that automate complex tasks once thought impervious to automation and digitalisation. The AI-driven shift is compelling enterprises to reimagine fundamental work at an unprecedented pace. It raises several critical questions about what happens to human labour when AI replaces labour-intensive services, how AI-driven automation will redefine the relationship between enterprises and the software they adopt, and what new opportunities will emerge in a paradigm where enterprise-grade AI takes centre stage.
The Great AI shift: The rise of ‘services as software’ (Nisha Holla, Observer Research Foundation)
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