The briefing
Applications: where the buildout has to earn its return
Applications are where the trillions being spent on AI infrastructure have to earn their return, and the scorecard so far is mixed: the SaaS selloff reversed, and seat-priced software has beaten the market since April. The longer trend still runs against seats and toward systems of record, outcome pricing, and firms that run on loops of agents in place of payroll. AJ Fisher, VP Digital Science at Tetratherix, looks at what is shipping, who is buying, and where defensibility is settling.
About AJ Fisher
AJ Fisher is a technologist, researcher and writer, working at the intersection of AI, web and digital innovation. A regular speaker at Web Directions conferences, AJ brings a pragmatic, builder-first perspective to how emerging technologies reshape software engineering practice. He writes at ajfisher.me, where he explores everything from agentic coding workflows and local LLM setups to the strategic implications of AI adoption in the enterprise. At Tetratherix, he focusses on using digital and AI tools to help drive innovation and scale in scientific research and advanced manufacturing.