API Is Solved? Think Again
Many CIOs treat APIs as finished business but the real work and value have only just begun
Walk into the boardroom of most companies today and ask about APIs, and the answer will sound familiar. The topic was handled years ago. A management platform was purchased, rolled out, and quietly filed under “done.” Since then APIs have barely appeared on the strategic agenda.
This sense of closure is an illusion. A platform may bring technical control and visibility, but it does not create the conditions for APIs to drive business value. APIs remain deeply connected to how an organization operates, collaborates, and innovates. Treating them as solved overlooks the fact that the hard work is still ahead.
From Tools to Capabilities
We have seen this story before. During the first wave of agility, companies invested in certifications, frameworks, and tools. Jira boards filled up, standups took place, and management declared the transformation complete. Yet culture and structure often stayed the same. Agility was “done” on paper while little had changed in practice.
APIs risk following that same trajectory. Platforms are important enablers, but they cannot provide ownership, strategy, or consumer focus. Without those, APIs are produced for isolated projects, difficult to reuse, and soon forgotten. As we argued in When Your API Platform Lacks the Desired Impact, tools without strategy and governance lead to underused APIs and disappointed expectations. The challenge is not only technical. It is strategic.
The Blind Spot in the Boardroom
Why then do CIOs believe APIs are already solved? Vendors marketed platforms as complete solutions, bundling technology with promises of innovation and speed. Leaders, under pressure to show progress, welcomed the chance to declare the issue closed. On paper it was comforting. In reality it created a blind spot.
Inside these organizations, APIs are often inconsistent, poorly documented, and hard to consume. Developer portals look polished but rarely enable real adoption. Teams build shadow APIs because central processes move too slowly. Integration remains costly and slow. For those building and consuming APIs, the picture is frustratingly clear: the job is far from done.
This matters more than ever. APIs are the foundation for composable IT, digital ecosystems, and AI-driven innovation. Without reliable APIs, these ambitions stumble. A CIO who treats APIs as finished business is in effect holding back the very capabilities their company needs next.
Rethinking APIs as a Strategic Capability
The comparison with agility is useful. Organizations that thrived were those that treated agility as a continuing transformation, deeply tied to culture and ownership. APIs need to be seen the same way. They are not deliverables with a finish line. They are capabilities that must evolve in step with business priorities.
That means tying APIs to outcomes, not just technical requirements. It means giving them a product mindset, with ownership, discoverability, and support. It means balancing autonomy with consistency through federated governance. And it means investing in developer experience, because without adoption there is no value.
Platforms can support this, but they cannot create it. Technology does not replace leadership decisions about ownership, investment, and culture. Treating APIs as solved because a platform exists is more than a misconception. It is a strategic risk.
The choice for CIOs is clear. They can hold on to the illusion of completion and keep APIs off the radar. Or they can accept that APIs are a living capability that demands ongoing attention. The first path feels easier but leads to stagnation. The second requires more effort but unlocks composability, ecosystem play, and innovation.
APIs are not solved and never will be in the sense of a completed project. They are an ongoing commitment, just like agility. Leaders who put APIs back on the strategic agenda will move faster, integrate more effectively, and create real business value. Those who cling to the illusion will watch others pass them by.
APIs are not a box to tick but a capability to nurture. If your organization still treats them as solved, it may be time to look again. The real question for the boardroom is simple: are APIs helping you move faster today, or are they quietly holding you back?