Frontier AI is the substrate that makes the compression possible. The discovery work that traditionally consumed two months happens in days because AI reads contracts, system logs, process documentation and stakeholder interviews in parallel. The prototype work that traditionally required a six-week build cycle happens in workshop because AI development tools generate production-quality code in real time. Decision support that previously required a dedicated analyst happens continuously because AI surfaces patterns from operational data automatically. The slow steps weren't slow because the work was hard. They were slow because the tooling was not what it now is.
Operational delay is commonly handed to a continuous improvement program, which tunes process steps but seldom reaches the approval chains and decision rights where waiting accumulates. We can run Value Stream Mapping and an Operating Model Redesign together, so the approval chain is redesigned with the process. Exit preparation often starts only once a corporate adviser is appointed. Starting earlier leaves time to fix issues before due diligence, where a buyer's findings usually lead to a lower price, a retention or a specific indemnity.