The "plumbing" question most tech businesses skip

The companies going hardest on AI in 2026 are often building on data foundations they haven't looked at since the business was half its current size. That is more a communications and governance problem, and less of a techinical problem.

Before you build more, spend time on three things. What AI tools are actually being used across your business right now, not just what is in the official stack. What customer data those tools touch. And whether you can explain your AI use clearly to someone non-technical.