How should boards govern AI shopping-platform concentration?

Answer

Boards should treat AI-platform concentration as a system of dependencies rather than a single revenue percentage. A company may depend on a platform for discovery, customer access, transaction volume, payment infrastructure or critical data before the platform represents substantial revenue.

Why this matters

Concentration may become strategic before conventional revenue reporting makes it obvious.

What management should examine

  • Revenue and contribution.
  • Discovery share.
  • Customer-data dependence.
  • Integration dependence.
  • Switching costs.
  • Alternative channels.

What good looks like

Concentration is deliberately accepted when economically rational, with clear visibility into consequences if platform economics or access change.

Related questions and resources

James Thomson – former Amazon executive, four successful exits, board member/investor, and author of two books on marketplace governance and brand strategy.

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