Generative AI lets teams build custom solutions, but buying software pays for problem ownership; leaders must decide when to own problems versus buying expertise.
Buying software is not just buying a solution, it is buying someone else's ownership of a problem. The article argues that generative AI dramatically lowers the cost of building bespoke tools, but the real value of purchased software lies in the expertise, context, and ongoing judgment that the vendor brings to own and scale the problem domain.
Leaders who push every team to build in-house with AI end up spreading attention across a portfolio of narrow solutions. When those solutions break or need new features, the company must continuously allocate judgment and resources to problems that are not its core business. This diffusion of focus makes the organization less effective and erodes the strategic advantage of selling its own product.
The piece urges technical leaders to treat software purchases as buying problem ownership. By outsourcing complex, high-maintenance problem domains, teams can stay focused on the core challenges they sell, keep their attention on strategic innovation, and avoid the hidden cost of maintaining a sprawling set of self-built tools.
Check out the full stdlib collection for more frameworks, templates, and guides to accelerate your technical leadership journey.