The end of classic business software is proclaimed on a regular basis. In our projects we see the opposite: the market for integrated systems has been growing at double-digit rates for years, and the move to the cloud is accelerating this trend even further. For small and midsized companies this is good news, as it gives them access to a level of process quality that used to be reserved for large corporations.
Artificial intelligence does not question the integrated approach either, it confirms it: reliable results only emerge from harmonised data and consistent end-to-end processes. At the same time, recent security research urges caution when generated code is meant to replace core systems. We therefore recommend a clear division of labour: a standardised, well-maintained core as the foundation, with embedded assistance and automation built on top. The base stays stable while innovation still reaches daily operations.