# Who Will Own Your Company’s AI Layer? Glean’s CEO Explains
The artificial intelligence revolution is reshaping enterprise technology, but a critical question looms: who controls the AI layer that sits atop your organization’s data and operations? This question has become increasingly urgent as companies race to implement AI solutions, and Arvind Jain, CEO of **Glean**, offers a compelling perspective on why the answer matters far more than most realize.
## The AI Ownership Problem
As enterprises deploy AI agents and automation tools across their operations, they face a fundamental choice: build proprietary AI systems that lock data into isolated platforms, or create an open ecosystem where AI tools remain under organizational control. Jain has positioned Glean as a champion of the latter approach, arguing that true AI innovation requires transparency, flexibility, and data sovereignty.
The stakes are enormous. When companies allow vendors to own their AI layer, they risk becoming dependent on proprietary systems that may not integrate with their broader technology stack. Data becomes siloed, competitive advantages diminish, and organizations lose the ability to pivot quickly as AI technology evolves. In contrast, companies that maintain control over their AI infrastructure can orchestrate multiple AI tools, optimize workflows, and ensure that their competitive intelligence remains proprietary.
## Glean’s Vision: The System of Context
Glean has emerged as one of the fastest-growing enterprise AI platforms, recently announcing **$150 million in Series F funding at a $7.2 billion valuation**[1]. The company describes itself as “the system of context for organizational intelligence,” a phrase that encapsulates Jain’s philosophy about AI ownership.
Rather than replacing enterprise knowledge with a single AI solution, Glean creates a foundational layer that contextualizes all organizational data—across hundreds of applications, data repositories, and business processes. This approach enables companies to retain complete control over their information while empowering multiple AI initiatives across the business[1]. The platform links seamlessly with more than 100 SaaS applications and enterprise data repositories, providing a unified knowledge graph that understands how data, people, and processes interconnect[1].
This architecture represents a deliberate rejection of the “walled garden” approach that characterizes many AI vendors. Instead of locking customers into proprietary systems, Glean’s open API enables organizations to export context and insights to all AI initiatives across their business[1]. In other words, your company owns the AI layer—Glean simply provides the infrastructure to make it work.
## Growth Trajectory and Market Validation
The market has responded enthusiastically to this vision. Since its Series E in September 2024, Glean has surpassed **$100 million in annual recurring revenue (ARR)** and now powers more than **100 million agent actions annually**[1]. The company’s customer base includes iconic Fortune 500 enterprises and organizations like TIME and Booking.com, which are accelerating AI innovation using Glean’s platform[1].
Glean’s valuation trajectory tells an equally compelling story. The company achieved unicorn status in May 2022 at a $1 billion valuation, then reached $2.2 billion in February 2024, $4.6 billion in September 2024, and now $7.2 billion in its latest funding round[3]. This rapid appreciation reflects investor confidence in both the company’s execution and the fundamental thesis that enterprises will demand ownership over their AI layers.
## Security and Governance as Competitive Advantages
Jain has consistently emphasized that security cannot be an afterthought in enterprise AI. From day one, Glean’s platform was designed so that every action is fully authenticated, respects underlying data permissions, and is governed by enterprise guardrails[1]. This security-first approach has become increasingly important as AI systems orchestrate more critical business processes.
Recently, Glean introduced **Glean Protect**, a new security and governance capability offering proactive defense of customers’ data, AI, and agents[1]. This focus on security enables enterprises to confidently integrate AI across their operations without surrendering control or visibility into how their data is being used.
## The Broader Implications
Jain’s argument about AI ownership extends beyond Glean’s specific product offerings. It reflects a broader shift in how enterprises think about technology strategy. As AI becomes central to competitive advantage, organizations increasingly recognize that vendor lock-in represents an unacceptable risk. Companies want the flexibility to experiment with multiple AI tools, switch vendors if necessary, and maintain proprietary control over their organizational knowledge.
This perspective also aligns with the growing emphasis on responsible AI. When companies own their AI layer, they can implement their own ethical guidelines, ensure compliance with regulations, and maintain transparency about how AI systems make decisions. Outsourcing this layer to vendors creates accountability gaps that many enterprises find unacceptable.
## Looking Forward
As AI capabilities accelerate and become more deeply embedded in business operations, the question of ownership will only become more critical. Jain’s vision suggests that the winners in enterprise AI won’t be companies that try to own their customers’ data and processes, but rather those that provide the infrastructure for organizations to own their own AI layers.
With $7.2 billion in valuation and momentum that includes doubling from $100 million to $200 million in ARR, Glean appears well-positioned to shape how enterprises approach AI ownership in the years ahead. For companies evaluating AI strategies, the message is clear: demand platforms that keep your AI layer under your control.
Original source: TechCrunch – Who will own your company’s AI layer? Glean’s CEO explains
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