Chief AI Officer 2026: Real Role or Just Another C-Level Title?
Tobias Massow
⏳ 9 min read The Chief AI Officer is the most frequently announced-and least understood-C-level ...
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By 2028, 90% of all B2B procurement decisions will be mediated by AI agents. This shift is moving market share away from companies with strong sales teams – and toward those with robust platforms. If you’re not part of a digital ecosystem, AI agents simply won’t find you. The C-suite question is no longer whether – but how: Should you build your own platform, acquire one, or join an existing ecosystem?
TL;DR
- 90% of B2B procurement will be AI-mediated by 2028: Over $15 trillion in B2B spending will flow through AI-agent platforms (Gartner Predictions 2026).
- 10.2 channels per B2B buying decision: McKinsey’s B2B Pulse shows channel complexity has doubled since 2016. Platforms consolidate these channels.
- AI agents accelerate processes by 30-50% and cut routine work by 25-40%: According to BCG, integrating this capability into a platform delivers competitive advantage.
- API-first and composable architecture are non-negotiable: Microservices, cloud-native design, and headless architectures form the essential technological moat.
- Build, Buy, or Join is the defining strategic choice – determined by market position, technical maturity, and investment readiness.
The End of Traditional B2B Sales
According to McKinsey, today’s B2B buyers use 10.2 channels per purchasing decision – up from five in 2016. Complexity has doubled in under a decade. For traditional sales organizations, that means multiplying touchpoints – and losing control over the buyer journey.
Platform ecosystems solve this problem. They unify channels, data, and interactions into a single system. A B2B marketplace, developer portal, or industry cloud ecosystem becomes the central access point for customers. And when AI agents take over procurement, they’ll query structured platforms – not standalone websites.
Source: Gartner Top Predictions for IT Organizations 2026
Three Strategies: Build, Buy, or Join
Every company faces the same foundational decision. The right path depends on market position, technical maturity, and financial capacity.
Build (Develop your own platform): The most expensive and riskiest option. Justified only for market leaders with sufficient scale and proprietary data to sustain their own ecosystem. Examples include Siemens’ Xcelerator, SAP’s Business Technology Platform, and TRUMPF’s AXOOM. Prerequisites: API-first architecture, composable microservices, and a dedicated platform team. Investment: typically €10-50 million over three to five years.
Buy (Acquire an existing platform): Faster time-to-market through acquisition. The generational transition in German SMEs creates opportunity here: specialized SaaS platforms and marketplaces are coming up for sale. The challenge lies in integration – acquired platforms must embed seamlessly into existing IT landscapes without sacrificing agility.
Join (Enter an established ecosystem): The most pragmatic path for SMEs. As a partner, supplier, or module within an existing ecosystem (e.g., AWS Marketplace, Microsoft AppSource, Salesforce AppExchange), companies gain visibility – without operating a platform themselves. Drawback: dependence on the platform operator and its rules.
“Effective AI agents accelerate business processes by 30-50% and reduce time spent on routine tasks by 25-40%. Companies integrating these capabilities into platform ecosystems secure a sustainable competitive advantage.”
BCG, Digital Ecosystem Strategy 2025
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland’s SME Sector: Between Ambition and Reality
In theory, building a platform sounds compelling. In practice, most DACH-region SMEs stumble over three hurdles:
First: Lack of API readiness. Many SMEs still rely on monolithic ERP systems with no open interfaces. Without an API-first architecture, a platform ecosystem is impossible. The modernization of the operating model must come first.
Second: Shortage of platform expertise. A platform business model demands different skills than a product business: partner management, developer relations, and monetization models (subscription, transaction fee, advertising). These competencies are rare in traditional SMEs.
Third: Reluctance to invest. Platforms require upfront capital with delayed ROI. Network effects need critical mass – until then, the platform burns cash. That clashes poorly with many SMEs’ short-term return expectations.
Five Criteria for the Right Decision
1. Market position. Are you the segment leader? Then Build. Do you occupy a niche with loyal customers? Then Buy – or pursue a joint venture. Are you one among many? Then Join.
2. Technical maturity. Already using API-first, cloud-native, and microservices architectures? Build is feasible. Still running legacy IT with monolithic ERP? Modernize first – then Join as an interim step.
3. Data position. Whoever controls the data controls the ecosystem. If your company generates unique, valuable data for others, you have a platform core. If not, participation is the smarter path.
4. Investment readiness. Build: €10-50 million over three to five years. Buy: purchase price plus integration costs. Join: listing fees and commissions – but significantly lower upfront investment.
5. Time pressure. Gartner’s disruption timeline points to 2028 – less than three years away. Build takes three to five years. If you’re not already in an ecosystem, there’s no time left for Build.
Conclusion
Platform ecosystems are not an IT initiative. They are a board-level decision about the future business model. Gartner’s forecast is unambiguous: 90% of B2B procurement will run through AI agents by 2028. Those agents search platforms – not websites. Companies outside ecosystems vanish from their customers’ decision-making process. Build, Buy, or Join – the choice must be made now. In three years, it will be too late.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a platform ecosystem?
A digital business model where one company – the platform operator – provides a technical infrastructure enabling other businesses (partners, suppliers, developers) to offer, exchange, or co-develop products and services. Examples: AWS Marketplace, Siemens Xcelerator, SAP Store.
Is Build, Buy, or Join an either-or decision?
No. Many companies combine approaches: joining an existing ecosystem (Join) while simultaneously developing a focused platform component in their niche (Build). The strategy can evolve alongside market position.
How much does building your own platform cost?
Typically €10-50 million over three to five years, depending on complexity and industry. Largest cost drivers: API infrastructure, partner onboarding, security architecture, and the platform team. ROI usually begins only after reaching critical mass – which can take two to four years.
Why are AI agents a threat to non-platform companies?
AI agents making B2B procurement decisions rely on structured data sources: APIs, marketplaces, and product catalogs. A company without platform presence is invisible to these agents. That shifts market share – from firms with strong sales teams to those with strong platforms and well-structured data.
Which platform strategy fits SMEs best?
For most SMEs, Join is the optimal entry strategy: listing on relevant industry marketplaces and cloud ecosystems. In parallel, establish API readiness and identify unique data assets. Once a high-volume niche is confirmed, a targeted Build approach – a “micro-platform” – can follow.
Further Reading
The Digital Operating Model: Restructuring the CIO’s IT Organization
Data Culture at the C-Level: 78% Fail on the Human Factor
Generational Transition at the C-Level: 545,000 Successors Needed
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