---
id: "quote-lasting-advantage-different-application"
type: "quote"
source_timestamps: ["\\\"§ Competitive advantage comes from using gen AI more strategically than others", "not just faster.\\\""]
tags: ["strategy", "differentiation"]
related: ["claim-speed-does-not-win", "concept-paradox-of-access"]
speakers: ["Bharat N. Anand", "Andy Wu"]
quote: "A lasting advantage from gen AI can only be achieved by applying it differently."
source_url: "https://hbr.org/2025/11/the-gen-ai-playbook-for-organizations"
source_title: "The Gen AI Playbook for Organizations"
sources: ["agentic"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-agentic"
originDay: 6
articleStem: "hbr-cl-87-genai-playbook-orgs"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2025/11/the-gen-ai-playbook-for-organizations"
sourceTitle: "The Gen AI Playbook for Organizations"
---
# Lasting advantage requires different application

> "A lasting advantage from gen AI can only be achieved by applying it differently."
> — [[entity-bharat-n-anand|Bharat N. Anand]] & [[entity-andy-wu|Andy Wu]]

**Context.** Everyone has access to gen AI; if you and your competitors use similar tools for similar tasks, most of the gains will ultimately flow to others in the value chain as new competition erodes margins. The companion line from the article makes the point sharper: *"We don't mean to imply that speed wins. Strategy does."* This is the quotable form of [[claim-speed-does-not-win|the claim that speed of adoption alone confers no advantage]] and a direct expression of the [[concept-paradox-of-access|Paradox of Access]].