To describe, design, and analyze enterprise and solution architectures, formalized models are indispensable. In this presentation, Marc Lankhorst, who has lead the team that developed the ArchiMate language for enterprise architecture since the first ideas in 2001, will discuss the history and evolution of this language. Moreover, he will address current and expected developments in the use of large language models and related techniques for creating and using such models.

ArchiMate started as an applied R&D project in the Netherlands, with partners from both industry and academia. Since 2009, it has been an Open Group standard and over the years, ArchiMate has evolved into the leading enterprise architecture modeling method, with many thousands of users. Marc will discuss the key principles behind the design of the language that have been upheld over the course of its evolution. He will explain how the language structure was inspired by natural language, how it evolved to cover all aspects relevant for enterprise architecture, and what the most recent release of the standard has improved.

The use of architecture models is rapidly evolving, in particular due to the surge in use of AI and LLMs. The impact of this is threefold: First of all, architects play a key role in facilitating and governing the use of these technologies in their enterprises. Second, to describe architectures that incorporate these technologies, architecture models need to accommodate the rich interplay and collaboration between people and AI assistants, robots, and other technologies. And third, it has created new avenues for generating and analyzing architectures. This offers both more freedom and poses new demands on the structure and content of architecture descriptions. The presentation will show practical, real-life examples of this use of AI-based creation and analysis of architectures, offering a peek into the future of architecture modeling.