AI tools don’t always enter an organization through an approved architecture roadmap. They arrive through business teams, software vendors, and individual initiatives. Yet Enterprise Architecture teams are still expected to understand the dependencies, manage the risks, and establish governance.
At the September 9, 2026 AEA webinar, Andy Neill from Info-Tech Research Group explored how Enterprise Architecture is adapting to this challenge — and what it means for architecture teams in practice.
Featuring Andy Neill
Vice President of Global Services & Chief Enterprise Architect, Info-Tech Research Group
With more than 20 years of experience, Andy has held senior data and architecture leadership roles involving the BBC, NHS, UK Parliament, and Siemens Consulting.
“If you’re going to combine the evolution of AI with also needing to do zero trust, then architecture has to be heavily involved.”
Andy Neill — Info-Tech Research Group, CIO Priorities 2026
Three Key Takeaways from the Webinar
1. EA is evolving from documentation to AI governance.
Enterprise Architecture is becoming a strategic capability that connects business goals, technology decisions, and AI governance. As AI adoption spreads across departments, EA teams are increasingly responsible for understanding and managing its architectural implications.
2. AI makes architectural visibility more important than ever.
As AI adoption accelerates, organizations need a clear understanding of their applications, data, technology landscape, and dependencies to make informed decisions.
3. Continuous transformation requires actionable insights.
With up-to-date architecture data, dependency mapping, and impact analysis, teams can better assess change, reduce risk, and make more confident transformation decisions.
Watch the Full Webinar Recording
Discover how Enterprise Architecture is evolving in response to AI, automation, and continuous transformation.
Watch Andy Neill’s expert insights and see how SAMU brings these trends into practice.
Topics Covered in the Recording
The Changing Role of Enterprise Architecture
Automated Governance and Federated Decisions
AI Engineering and AI Agents in Enterprise Architecture
SAMU Demo: Visual Recognition and MCP Integration
5 Enterprise Architecture Trends Shaping 2026 and Beyond
According to the AEA Hungarian Chapter’s post-event summary, five key trends stood out:
1. From Architecture Control to Collaboration
Enterprise Architects are moving beyond enforcing standards and reviewing documentation. Their role increasingly involves coaching teams, facilitating collaboration, and helping organizations make better technology decisions.
2. Automating Architecture Review Boards
AI and standardized processes can help accelerate architecture reviews, reduce repetitive work, and improve consistency. The challenge is to make governance more efficient without sacrificing transparency or accountability.
3. Federated Decision Authority
Instead of centralizing every architecture decision, organizations are exploring distributed decision-making supported by clear responsibilities and Architecture Decision Records (ADRs). This allows teams to move faster while preserving traceability.
4. Guiding AI Engineering Through Architecture
As AI engineering becomes more widespread, Enterprise Architecture needs to provide guidance for prompt design, AI integration, and request-routing patterns. The goal is to ensure that AI initiatives remain aligned with enterprise-wide architecture principles.
5. AI Agents Enriching Enterprise Architecture Models
AI agents can support architecture teams by helping explore existing environments, enrich architecture information, and simulate potential future states. This creates opportunities to make EA repositories more useful for ongoing analysis and transformation planning.
From Enterprise Architecture Trends to Practice: SAMU in Action
SAMU connects AI assistants to company-specific Enterprise Architecture data through MCP, enabling analysis based on an organization’s actual applications, technologies, and dependencies rather than generic AI knowledge.
During the webinar, Olivér Kocs and Gábor Vinczellér from Atoll Technologies demonstrated this integration alongside AI-powered visual recognition, which can help transform existing architecture diagrams into structured repository data.
Customer Proof: Wizz Air
Wizz Air uses SAMU to improve visibility across its complex technology landscape. Practical applications include Azure application mapping, network-layer reporting, ownership reporting, and server hosting environment views.
These examples demonstrate how structured architecture information supports transparency, dependency analysis, and better-informed technology decisions.
Read the Wizz Air Customer Story
SAMU also offers SaaS and on-premise deployment options, providing additional flexibility for organizations with different operational and security requirements.
Event Details
Event: AEA Webinar – Enterprise Architecture 2026 Trends
Date: September 9, 2026
Organizer: Association of Enterprise Architects – Hungarian Chapter
Format: Online webinar
Speakers:
- Andy Neill – Info-Tech Research Group
- Olivér Kocs – Atoll Technologies / SAMU
- Gábor Vinczellér – Atoll Technologies / SAMU
Recording: Available online via AEA Webex.
Take the Next Step with SAMU
Understanding emerging Enterprise Architecture trends is one thing. Applying them to your own application portfolio and technology landscape is another.
If you’re exploring how to strengthen Enterprise Architecture within your organization, these resources can help:
Estimate the Business Value of Enterprise Architecture
Explore the potential business value of improved application visibility, portfolio management, and technology decision-making using our Enterprise Architecture Assessment ROI calculator.
Oliver holds a degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley, and was raised in the United States. With over 25 years of extensive experience in sales, business development, and account management, he has specialized in managing enterprise accounts within the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector.
For more than eight years, Oliver has been a key contributor at Atoll, where he has played a pivotal role in expanding SAMU’s customer base. Currently, he is focused on growing SAMU’s international presence, with a strategic emphasis on the North American market.
Outside of his professional life, Oliver is a dedicated family man, proud father to a son and daughter. He is passionate about sports, avidly following all major US sports leagues, and actively competes in golf and basketball. His competitive spirit and team-oriented mindset extend beyond the office, reflecting his dynamic approach both professionally and personally.