The turning point: from cross-functional agent to industry-specific agent
Alterna, a Microsoft partner specializing in business applications, has announced a new strategy centered on so-called vertical AI, moving beyond the approach based on generic agents applicable to common processes such as administration, document management and customer care. The news is reported by AI4Business, which gathered statements from CEO Giuseppe Mascoli and COO Mirco Giorgini in a video.
According to the Milan-based company, value is no longer created by automating cross-functional functions, but when agents understand the dynamics, data organization and performance indicators of a specific sector. Over the past twelve months, Alterna had built an initial library of horizontal agents; interaction with clients then brought out the need to complement those solutions with a verticalized offering. The new suite covers discrete manufacturing, fashion, food and beverage, professional services and utilities, sectors in which the company says it has well-established expertise.
The reasons for the choice and the organizational model
The decision also stems from privileged access to advance information on the vendor's roadmap: Alterna is part of Microsoft's Inner Circle, the select group comprising about 1% of global partners. According to Mascoli, the vendor's planned releases would have partly overwritten the competitive advantage built on horizontal agents, making it preferable to focus on the industries in which it has expertise.
On the organizational front, Giorgini cites several milestones: the acquisition of Efficiento, an AI and GenAI specialist, at the start of the year; investments in the consultant community and in training; the appointment of a Chief AI Officer reporting directly to the board, with the dual task of developing solutions and promoting internal culture. A technical working group on the vendor's innovation and cross-functional working groups for each industry were also established, with the goal of selecting the most promising ideas and developing them in co-creation with clients.
Timelines, business model and open questions
The process is already under way: according to Giorgini, for about two months the company has been working with the first clients to identify the most promising use cases, and the first prototypes are expected within two or three months. On the commercial side, Alterna intends to abandon the man-day logic in favor of a value-based or outcome-based model, with the client covering initial costs. The go-live is no longer considered the conclusion of the project: it is the moment when, according to the company, the client measures improvements in KPIs and recognizes additional value.
Some elements remain to be verified. The news is contained in an article produced in collaboration with Alterna, so the statements come directly from the company. The number of clients involved, the economic value of the offering, the names of the sectors being tested and the results of the prototypes, which were not yet available at the time of the article, are not indicated. The actual scope of the strategy will depend on the ability to translate sector specialization into measurable results in clients' operations.
