The New Architecture of Work: MAAP

Apr 27, 2026 | Peter Gassner

AI is changing the enterprise technology landscape, with major implications for business leaders. Your enterprise technology architecture is no longer just infrastructure. It’s how work gets done, with agents actively taking on some tasks previously handled by humans.

This new way of working is enabled by a new technology architecture: Models, Agents, and Applications, the MAAP Architecture.

Models are frontier models like Anthropic, OpenAI, or Gemini. They can reason, generate, and interpret. They understand the capabilities of your core applications and use that context in their reasoning.

Agents are a new type of knowledge worker. They use models for reasoning and applications for execution. Dedicated agents will take on some tasks that previously required humans.

Applications are your systems of record. They codify your industry’s business rules and your company’s operating model, providing the structure and consistency needed to run the business. Core applications are becoming “dual mode,” controllable by both human users and agents. To enable this, applications must be easily understood by models and controllable by agents.

Your enterprise technology architecture is no longer just a technical decision. It reflects your operating model and your workforce. It’s about digital labor and the nature of work itself. CEOs need to take an active role and redefine how IT and the business work together in this new era.