From Execution to Orchestration: How AI Can Expand the Role of Professional Services

AI is reshaping Professional Services (PS) faster than any shift I’ve seen in three decades. The pace is staggering—so it’s natural that many services leaders are asking the same question: What does PS look like in an AI-driven world?

Some worry AI will make our roles less relevant. I don’t see it that way. If anything, PS becomes more valuable as AI takes hold.

The Big Choice Ahead

It’s no longer if we’ll use AI but how we’ll use it. Do we want AI to help us do the same work with fewer resources? Or do we want to use AI to expand PS’s role—to be closer to the product, the customer, and the roadmap?

In most SaaS models, the product covers ~80% of customer needs. The final 20%—the difference between adoption and outcomes—is where PS earns its keep. AI is a force multiplier in that zone: co-creating solutions, solving edge-case problems, and accelerating outcomes.

Enter: Vibe Coding

One of the most exciting shifts, which we discussed in a recent webinar (linked below), is Vibe Coding—using natural-language prompting to build workflows, agents, and extensions without traditional code. It allows you to:

• Describe what you want in plain English.

• Rapidly prototype a workflow or lightweight app.

• Create value faster, with tighter customer alignment.

I’ve seen teams cut development cycles dramatically, and in one case, a non-technical consultant built a functional internal app in days. The barrier between idea and execution is collapsing—and PS sits right at the center.

From Execution to Orchestration

Historically, PS was about rigid execution—deliver the SOW, on time and on budget. The future of PS is about guided orchestration—owning the path from problem to outcome across tools, data, and people. This evolution opens up space for new roles, including:

• Process Designers – optimize and instrument workflows end-to-end.

• Agent Builders – design, test, and manage AI agents in production.

• Forward-Deployed Engineers – bridge product capabilities and customer needs.

• Customer Engineers – use Vibe Coding to create integrations, automations, and UI extensions without writing conventional code.

PS isn’t shrinking; it’s expanding—into creative, strategic functions that sit closer to revenue and retention.

Where AI Is Already Paying Off

These aren’t hypotheticals; AI is already driving value for PS teams in areas like:

• AI-Powered Handoffs: Conversational intelligence summarizing discovery calls into kickoff briefs.

• Client Accountability: Automated nudges that keep joint tasks moving.

• Internal Enablement: AI-generated onboarding guides and knowledge roll-ups from project artifacts.

• Risk Monitoring: Sentiment analysis that flags churn-risk signals and triggers escalation workflows.

• Proposal & SOW Generation: Assembly from approved templates in minutes, not hours.

How to Start: The EASE Method

If you’re ready to bring AI into your PS practice, start with EASE:

1. Evaluate – Map critical workflows (sales→delivery handoff, status, change control, closeout).

2. Access – Identify where automation or agents reduce cycle time, handoffs, or rework.

3. Strategize – Prioritize a 90-day roadmap with 2–3 high-impact use cases.

4. Execute – Pilot fast, measure impact, and scale with governance.

But, the secret isn’t just using AI—it’s building fluency so your team can direct it. A few ways to get started down this path include:

• Creating AI Fluency: Offer prompt training and maintain a shared prompt library tied to your playbooks.

• Running “Vibe Sprints”: 1–2 week sprints where each team converts one recurring task into an automated workflow or agent.

• Teaching “Direct vs. Do”: Shift mindsets from doing work to orchestrating work—where they design the workflow, instrument the controls, and then oversee the output.

When you combine EASE with team fluency, you don’t just bolt AI onto PS—you redefine how PS creates value.

Final Thought: The Future Is Ours to Shape

AI isn’t here to take away what makes PS valuable. It’s here to amplify it. As leaders, we can either optimize for efficiency alone—or step into the future as orchestrators, creators, and innovators.

I believe the latter is where we’ll make our greatest impact.

If you missed our webinar that discusses this topic, you can view it now in our PS Excellence Resource Center.