The rise of artificial intelligence has caused a lot of talk about its impact on many fields, including software architecture. In my view, AI doesn’t need to approach to software architecture that much. Architecture is about capabilities which are defined by business functions. This principle stays the same, no matter how technology changes.

Understanding Autonomous Capabilities

Autonomous capabilities are independent units that have everything needed to do a specific business task. Here are examples from different areas:

• Retail Management:
  • Stock Management
  • Customer Service
  • Order Fulfillment
  • Sales Reports
• Healthcare:
  • Patient Records
  • Appointment Scheduling
  • Billing
  • Prescription Management
• Education:
  • Student Enrollment
  • Course Management
  • Grade Tracking
  • Faculty Coordination

Each of these capabilities works on its own, often making sure they do not depend on other parts to work well. This includes elements like:

• Data Storage: databases and repositories that store information securely.
• Core Functions: essential logic and operations that perform the main tasks.
• API Parts: interfaces that allow different software components to communicate.
• Authentication: systems that verify user identities and grant access.
• Logging: tools that record activities for monitoring and troubleshooting.
• User Interfaces: front-end components for user interaction.
• Configuration Management: systems that handle settings, feature flags and configurations.
• Security Protocols: data protection measures.
• Backup Systems: solutions that prevent data loss.
• Notification Services: Sending alerts and other updates.
• Analytics Modules: Systems for data analysis and visualization to provide insights.
• Testing Frameworks: Tools to ensure the software works correctly.

Business stays stable

The stable nature of business functions is one of the reasons why AI doesn’t change architecture in a drastic way. Why?

1. Long-Term Use: Business tasks like stock management or patient records stay important over time. No revolution here, right?
2. Consistency: These tasks provide steady value, no matter the tech changes.
3. Flexibility: Tools and technologies may change, but the main tasks stay the same.

The role of AI

AI serves as a powerful tool that can enhance business capabilities. AI provides a platform for integrating intelligent features into business functions. For example, in retail management, AI can be used to analyze customer behavior and optimize stock levels. In healthcare, AI can assist in diagnosing patient conditions by analyzing medical records and data trends. In education, AI can personalize learning experiences by adapting to each student’s needs and progress. Although AI introduces advanced functionalities, it is essentially a tool that supports and enhances existing software without creating new industries, at least for now.

Internal Changes, Stable Architecture

Tech advancements, including AI, will affect the inside of the business capabilities. For instance:

• Better Data Analysis: Advanced data tools can improve stock management.
• Enhanced Core Functions: More efficient logic can improve patient records.
• Updated API Parts: New API parts can make order processing smoother.

However, these are internal changes, not shifts in the architecture.

In short, my approach to software architecture, defined by creating and keeping autonomous business capabilities, remains the same. AI and other new techs help to improve these capabilities without needing a complete change of the architectural principles.