Scaled Agile Releases AI-Native SAFe®, a New Version of the World's Most Trusted Framework, to Provide Governance for the AI Era

New Framework Gives Enterprises a Proven Path from Fragmented AI Pilots to a Fully AI-Native Operating Model

BOULDER, Colo., June 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Scaled Agile, Inc. (SAI), provider of SAFe®, the world's most trusted system for scaling Lean and Agile, today unveiled AI-Native SAFe®. With this release, Scaled Agile has elevated its core SAFe Framework into an operating model built to enable organizations to maximize value and returns from AI with proven Lean-Agile governance for the AI era.

SAFe has become the operating model of choice for more than 20,000 enterprises and government agencies and over 2 million practitioners navigating the complexities of product and service development. AI has now expanded the challenge well beyond product teams, reshaping how work gets done across entire organizations. That expanded scope demands a governed, structured operating model designed to make AI work at enterprise scale.

Rather than merely layering AI capabilities onto the existing Framework, Scaled Agile has released a new version of SAFe — AI-Native SAFe — to sit alongside the existing Core SAFe Operating Model. The new version integrates the specific practices and governance required in the AI era, resulting in a model that is recognizable to existing SAFe users yet fundamentally enhanced to meet the unique challenges of becoming an AI-native enterprise.

'The bottleneck has moved," said Andrew Sales, chief methodologist, Scaled Agile. "The challenge for organizations is no longer whether they can build something in the time available. Rather, it is keeping up with the need to validate whether what they are building is safe, secure, and valuable. AI-Native SAFe enables enterprises to incorporate AI into Lean and Agile practices, puts outcomes at the center of everything, and gives enterprises governance, structure, and proven methods to make sure faster also means better."

What Changes in AI-Native SAFe
To create AI-Native SAFe, Scaled Agile worked closely with customers, partners, and thought leaders to harness proven AI patterns. As a result, AI-Native SAFe effectively supports organizations on their journey to achieving the maximum return from their AI investments.

AI-Native SAFe introduces significant changes to how teams are formed, roles are defined, how work flows, and how AI is woven into delivery. Teams are smaller and AI-augmented; work cycles are shorter and more iterative; and handoffs between humans and AI are explicitly designed into the model rather than left to individual interpretation. AI-Native SAFe identifies a dedicated "AI value architect" role responsible for guiding teams toward outcomes while navigating cost, ethics, legal, and risk considerations. Governance and ethics, specifications and intent, and curated data management are now surface-level elements of the Framework.

AI-Native SAFe is designed to give large organizations, including those with complex regulatory, legal, and data obligations, the structure to harness AI's productivity gains without losing control of the outcomes those gains are meant to serve.

A Clear Path for Organizations Already Using SAFe
Alongside the release of AI-Native SAFe, we are making another important commitment: our commitment to continue supporting and evolving the Core SAFe operating model.

Core SAFe remains the foundation for successful enterprise agility. The principles, practices, and governance that have helped more than 20,000 organizations improve alignment, execution, and value delivery remain as relevant as ever. For many enterprises, Core SAFe continues to provide the right operating model for their current needs.

AI-Native SAFe builds on that foundation, extending proven Lean-Agile practices with the new capabilities, governance, and operating patterns required to harness AI at scale. For organizations already succeeding with SAFe, AI-Native SAFe provides a natural path to evolve—not replace—the systems, investments and ways of working they have already established.

On June 16, Scaled Agile unveiled the AI-Native SAFe Big Picture through a new webinar series. Across six sessions, held every two weeks, the company will progressively reveal how the operating model transforms teams, Agile Release Trains, and portfolios, building toward SAFe Summit San Diego on September 14-18, where the complete vision comes together through deeper learning, practical application, and real-world customer experiences.

To join the AI-Native SAFe launch event and the full webinar series, visit https://go.scaledagile.com/WBNR-SAFe-2026-AI-Empowered-Agility-Series_Registration.html.

About Scaled Agile, Inc.
Scaled Agile, Inc. is the provider of SAFe®, the world's most trusted system for AI-powered agility. With over 2 million professionals trained across 60 countries and more than 20,000 enterprises and government agencies in its global network, Scaled Agile brings over 15 years of enterprise transformation experience to today's AI-driven world. Learn more at scaledagile.com.

SOURCE Scaled Agile, Inc.