Blue Owl Executive Perspectives: The future of enterprise software with Anaplan

Deterministic accuracy is critical for CFOs: Anaplan's core value proposition centers on its role as a "system of decision" for the enterprise, powered by a calculation engine that delivers auditable, deterministic answers CFOs can rely on when issuing forecasts or planning complex scenarios, with outputs that are 100% repeatable and consistent for any given set of inputs. Unlike LLMs, which are probabilistic by nature, Anaplan's engine handles complex math on massive datasets in real time, modeling global supply chain disruptions, oil price shocks, and tariff impacts, among other real-time variables that enterprises cannot afford to get wrong.

Competitive positioning in an AI world: Replicating Anaplan's capabilities in-house would be extremely difficult, even for the most sophisticated enterprises. Anaplan serves half the Fortune 50, including AI leaders like Nvidia, OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google, who themselves rely on Anaplan for planning and scenario analysis rather than building their own infrastructure. Anaplan views AI model providers as partners, not competitors, and smaller AI-native startups as potential acquisition targets that expand Anaplan's functionality. One recent example is the purchase of Syrup Tech for its retail forecasting capabilities, now embedded directly into the Anaplan platform.

Evolving software budgets: Enterprise software budgets have been dynamic as organizations navigate AI adoption. Early conversations centered around "build vs. buy," with CFOs exploring whether they could replicate scenario planning and analysis software in-house using LLMs, only to find themselves quickly burning through budgets with unclear ROI. Enterprises still want to leverage AI, but embedded within proven platforms that can handle scale and guarantee accuracy at a predictable cost, a shift that directly benefits Anaplan. AI also gives Anaplan a path to expand its value proposition and addressable market through new use cases layered on top of its core planning platform.