https://carlesabarca.com/tags/technical-debt/Recent content in Technical Debt on Carles AbarcaHugo -- gohugo.ioen© 2026 Carles AbarcaMon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://carlesabarca.com/posts/ai-giant-feet-of-clay/Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 +0000https://carlesabarca.com/posts/ai-giant-feet-of-clay/The promise of AI is real, but many strategies are built on legacy systems, fragile pipelines, and accumulated technical debt.<p>For most organizations, AI is still a <strong>giant in expectations</strong> with <strong>feet of clay in the present reality</strong>.</p> <p>The promise of AI is real: automation, efficiency, margin growth.</p> <p>But there is something that some prefer not to say out loud. When we talk about &ldquo;AI strategy,&rdquo; in many cases it is conceived on top of:</p> <ul> <li><em>Legacy systems</em></li> <li><em>Fragile data pipelines</em></li> <li><em>Accumulated technical debt</em></li> <li><em>Undocumented code / shadow IT</em></li> </ul> <p>AI fails to deliver on its promise when we try to build the future on foundations we never reinforced.</p> <h2 class="relative group">Who Will Win <div id="who-will-win" class="anchor"></div> <span class="absolute top-0 w-6 transition-opacity opacity-0 -start-6 not-prose group-hover:opacity-100 select-none"> <a class="text-primary-300 dark:text-neutral-700 !no-underline" href="#who-will-win" aria-label="Anchor">#</a> </span> </h2> <p>The organizations that will win will not be those that &ldquo;adopt AI faster,&rdquo; but those with the courage to:</p> <ul> <li><em>Clean up their architecture</em></li> <li><em>Invest in data before demos</em></li> <li><em>Treat technical debt as a strategic problem, not just a technical one</em></li> </ul> <p>AI does not replace hard work &ndash; it amplifies it. And those of us in technology have a responsibility: prepare the foundations and stop building castles in the air.</p>