RESEARCH REPORT
The new rules of platform strategy in the age of agentic AI
Five priorities to help companies align people, platforms and intelligence
5-MINUTE READ
December 18, 2025
In brief
- Agentic AI is redefining platforms1. It is transforming how work gets done, how value is created and how humans and machines collaborate.
- Strategy alignment unlocks value. Companies that align their AI, platforms and business strategies achieve on average 2.2x revenue growth and a 37% EBITDA lift.
- Winning in an AI-first world requires a new platform strategy. We outline five priorities to help companies seize the opportunity.
Why platforms must evolve now
For decades, platforms defined how modern business worked—powering finance, HR, supply chain and customer management. But in the AI-first world, that foundation must evolve to meet new opportunities.
Our research shows leaders realize this reality—94% expect change and 57% call for reinvention.
Agentic AI: The new orchestration layer
Agentic AI is becoming the interface across platforms, spanning systems, reacting dynamically and orchestrating work in real time. It can rebalance supply chains, generate personalized offers and even close financial processes.
Example: Lenovo used Adobe Experience Platform and Microsoft Copilot to orchestrate AI across marketing, customer service and internal workflows. The effort delivered $11 million in efficiency savings and a 12.5% boost in click-through rates—speeding execution and enabling new forms of engagement at scale.
The case for platform reinvention
Most organizations still view platforms as efficiency engines. But leaders see the gains from aligning their AI, platforms and business strategies:
2.2x
Revenue growth on average—double that of peers.
37%
EBITDA lift on average—proving bottom-line impact.
Forces reshaping platform strategy
Three forces are pushing companies to rethink platforms:
Five priorities for platform strategy in an AI-first world
The next chapter of platform strategy requires an integrated, forward-looking mindset. Change will unfold on multiple fronts and preparation must reflect that complexity. To help leaders navigate this shift, we propose five key priorities for building an AI-ready, future-fit platform strategy:
Architect for the future
Design an agentic enterprise architecture—one that defines where AI lives, how it connects to platforms, how it accesses data and how its actions are governed.
Design a fit-for-purpose foundation
Modernize the digital core to unify platforms, processes and data clouds for real-time visibility and scale. Otherwise, AI risks becoming another layer of siloes. Modernization also demands a formal platform strategy—a gap our research shows many companies still face.
Articulate interplay
Clarify what platforms, humans and agents each do best.
Prepare for reinvention
Rethink operating models, work structures and the very roles that people play. For example, Adecco used Salesforce Agentforce to process 300M resumes a year, freeing recruiters to focus on people.
Transform culture
Overcoming resistance is the single biggest unlock to scaling AI. Build trust through transparency, reskill employees and model new ways of working.
1 We define platforms as the software that enables day-to-day business activities across functions—such as enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, human resources, financial management, supply chain management and marketing enablement systems—as well as smaller applications built for specific business needs.
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