Why Customer Workflows Are Becoming The Moat In The AI Era

What happened

Workflow access creates strategic value Schneider Electric ’s agreement to acquire (one company buying another) PTC for approximately $22.6 billion in equity value gives it software used to design, manufacture and service physical products, placing it inside customer decisions throughout a product’s lifecycle. AI companies can build durable moats by embedding their products in essential customer workflows, explains tech adviser Itay Sagie, who shares why founders should prioritize measurable customer dependence, while investors and acquirers should assess how integrations, trusted relationships and workflow access can strengthen retention and drive growth.

Six months later, one handles policy renewals inside the insurer’s systems, follows approval rules and escalates exceptions to employees. The other remains a tool people occasionally open. Recent acquisitions and partnerships illustrate three implications for founders, investors and boards.