---
id: "question-build-vs-buy-split"
type: "open-question"
source_timestamps: ["\\\"§ Buy", "Build", "or Partner for Speed\\\""]
tags: ["vendor-management", "engineering"]
related: ["org-sap", "framework-ai-deployment-process", "concept-digital-modalities"]
resolutionPath: "Review technical case studies on SAP's digital platform architecture to identify third-party vendor integrations versus proprietary models."
sources: ["commercial"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-commercial"
originDay: 5
articleStem: "hbr-foci-64-ai-broaden-customer-base"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/03/how-one-company-used-ai-to-broaden-its-customer-base"
sourceTitle: "How One Company Used AI to Broaden Its Customer Base"
---
# Specifics of the Hybrid Build/Buy Approach

**Open question.** The authors note that [[org-sap|SAP]] overcame internal engineering pride to use a "combination of its internal and external AI tools" (step 4 of the [[framework-ai-deployment-process]]). However, the text does **not** specify:
- Which of the **40+** [[concept-digital-modalities|modalities]] (e.g., Digital Launchpad, avatar generators, sentiment analysis) were **built in-house** versus **licensed** from third parties;
- The **criteria** used to make those specific build-vs-buy decisions.

**Resolution path:** Review technical case studies on SAP's digital-platform architecture to identify third-party vendor integrations versus proprietary models.