Kernaro is Sparx Systems’ AI intelligence product family for Enterprise Architect. It comprises two distinct products that often get confused: Kernaro AI Hub for stakeholder-facing queries, and Kernaro Assist for architects working inside EA. Both are published by Sparx Systems, not by Sparx Services. Kernaro is built on top of the Sparx EA platform and extends its intelligence capabilities through natural language interfaces. Kernaro AI Hub reached general availability in 2026 and transforms how non-architect stakeholders interact with the architecture repository. Kernaro Assist extends the architect’s modeling and governance workflow inside the EA client itself and is currently in active beta. Both products depend on EA GraphLink, the connectivity and data transformation layer that makes repository intelligence possible. Sparx Services deploys and develops practice capability for both products through the Connect and Amplify services, but we do not own the software.
The Kernaro family includes two distinct products with different users, interfaces, and purposes. This table clarifies the essential differences:
| Attribute | Kernaro AI Hub | Kernaro Assist |
|---|---|---|
| Who uses it | Business stakeholders, executives, program managers, anyone with a browser | Architects inside the Enterprise Architect desktop client |
| Where it runs | Browser-based external stakeholder portal | Inside EA desktop client |
| Primary capability | Natural language queries against the live EA repository | Natural language modeling, governance agents, model analysis |
| Status | Generally Available (GA since 2026) | Beta |
| Prerequisite | EA GraphLink (required) | Kernaro Assist license; EA GraphLink not required |
| Sparx Services deployment service | Connect | Amplify |
| Typical use case | Stakeholder asks “Which applications are approaching end-of-life?” and gets an instant answer from live data | Architect drafts element descriptions in natural language or asks the model “What elements are missing owners?” |
Kernaro AI Hub is a browser-based stakeholder portal that lets anyone in your organization query the EA repository in natural language without architect involvement. A program manager can ask “Which applications support our customer onboarding capability?” and receive an instant answer from live data. An executive can query “What is our zero-trust architecture coverage percentage?” without waiting for an architecture briefing. A compliance officer can ask “What applications are approaching end-of-life?” and get a current list without interrupting the architecture team.
The value is elimination of bottleneck work. Without Kernaro AI Hub, every stakeholder question requires an architect to interpret the request, query the repository, format the answer, and deliver it back, a cycle that typically takes days and accumulates across dozens of stakeholders. With Kernaro AI Hub, stakeholders get self-service access to architecture intelligence at the moment they need it.
Kernaro AI Hub is built on EA GraphLink, which transforms the physical EA repository schema into an intelligent, query-ready knowledge graph using the MDG Technology definition. This transformation is why EA GraphLink must be deployed first, Hub cannot connect to the raw repository schema. The quality of the MDG technology directly affects the quality of Kernaro AI Hub’s answers. If the repository is governed according to a high-quality, well-maintained MDG, Hub returns precise, authoritative answers. If the repository is informal and inconsistently tagged, Hub returns answers that reflect that inconsistency. This is why MDG readiness assessment is a prerequisite step, completed as part of the Discover service.
Kernaro AI Hub reached general availability in 2026, making it a stable, production-ready platform. It is not experimental. It is designed for organizations seeking to scale architecture intelligence across the entire stakeholder base without expanding the architecture team proportionally. The ROI case is straightforward: measure the current cost of architect interrupt work (hours per week × architect cost × interruption friction), estimate self-service adoption rate (typically 50-70% of current ad-hoc questions), and the annual savings become clear.
Kernaro Assist is an extension panel inside the EA client that adds natural language capabilities to the architect’s modeling workflow. It operates in four capability domains: Core Modeling (create or modify elements using natural language); Model Chat (query and analyze the model in plain English); event-driven governance agents (triggered by EA Broadcast Events, such as a naming convention check that fires when a new element is created); and validation checks (MDG compliance, required tagged values, naming standards).
Where Kernaro AI Hub serves stakeholders outside EA, Kernaro Assist serves architects inside EA. An architect can ask Kernaro Assist to “Create an Application Component called Customer Portal with stereotype ‘WebApplication’ and tag it as business-critical.” A junior architect working on a model can ask “Show me other application components similar to this one” to understand existing patterns. A governance rule can automatically fire when an element is created without the required owner tag, prompting the architect to add it before moving on.
Kernaro Assist is currently in beta. There is no published general availability timeline. This is a real limitation, the roadmap and feature stability are determined by Sparx Systems, not your organization. However, Sparx Services is an active beta participant in Kernaro Assist development. We use it with real clients, contribute field feedback to the Sparx Systems product team, and integrate Kernaro Assist capability into practice development. Frame this as active architect participation, not as a weakness. The field-informed guidance we provide based on real beta usage is a genuine advantage.
The key distinction between Kernaro Assist and the tool it provides is this: Kernaro Assist alone is a productivity tool, it makes certain modeling tasks faster. The Amplify service develops the practice capability to use it effectively, which means integrating natural language modeling into architecture governance, review, and quality processes so that productivity gains compound across the whole practice. Architects using Kernaro Assist in isolation gain some efficiency; architects in an Amplify practice where natural language modeling is woven into the team’s standards and workflows gain a measurable discipline shift. This is why we position Amplify as the vehicle for Kernaro Assist adoption, not the license alone.
Both Kernaro products depend critically on MDG quality, though in different ways. Kernaro AI Hub depends on MDG quality directly, EA GraphLink transforms the physical repository schema using the MDG Technology definition as the transformation blueprint. If the MDG is well-governed, the transformation produces clean, consistent, queryable data. If the MDG is informal or inconsistently applied, the transformation preserves that informality, and Kernaro AI Hub returns answers that reflect the underlying data quality.
Kernaro Assist depends on MDG quality indirectly. The tool operates on the models that architects create and maintain. If those models are governed according to a strong, consistent MDG standard, Kernaro Assist’s outputs, element suggestions, governance checks, validation rules, land in a governed model where they belong. If the model is informal, Kernaro Assist’s outputs are just one more piece of ungoverncd content.
This is why Discover, the MDG readiness assessment service, is the prerequisite step for both Kernaro deployments. Discover evaluates whether your MDG is sufficiently defined and enforced to support intelligent platform features. The assessment produces a report with three outcomes: the MDG is ready (proceed to Connect or Amplify); the MDG is improvable with specific guidance (complete recommended improvements before deployment); or the MDG requires significant redesign (treat as a separate initiative before Kernaro deployment). Organizations that skip this assessment often struggle with Kernaro underutilization, the product works, but the repository quality constrains its usefulness.
Sparx Services is not the software vendor. Clients purchase Kernaro licenses directly from Sparx Systems. We provide the software bill of materials and integrate Kernaro into your architecture program.
Connect deploys Kernaro AI Hub. This is a 12-16 week service that stands up EA GraphLink (the prerequisite), configures security and access controls, validates the MDG transformation, and brings Kernaro AI Hub into production for your stakeholder base. Connect is the path to stakeholder self-service. It requires prior Discover assessment or a determination that your MDG is already sufficiently governed.
Amplify develops Kernaro Assist capability. This is a practice development program that embeds natural language modeling into your architecture team’s standards, governance, and workflow. Amplify includes hands-on coaching, governance adaptation, process design, and measurement frameworks. Kernaro Assist is the tool; Amplify is what makes the tool matter at scale.
Discover assesses MDG readiness and produces a roadmap to Kernaro deployment. This is the prerequisite step if you’re unsure whether your repository is ready for either product.
What is the difference between Kernaro AI Hub and Kernaro Assist?
Kernaro AI Hub is a browser-based portal for stakeholders to query the EA repository in natural language. Kernaro Assist is an extension panel inside the EA client for architects to use natural language in their modeling workflow. Hub serves stakeholders outside EA; Assist serves architects inside EA.
Is Kernaro developed by Sparx Services or Sparx Systems?
Kernaro is developed by Sparx Systems. Sparx Services deploys it (Connect for Hub), develops practice capability (Amplify for Assist), and assesses readiness (Discover). We are not the software vendor.
Is Kernaro included with my Sparx EA license?
No. Kernaro is a separate licensed product purchased directly from Sparx Systems. The license covers either Kernaro AI Hub or Kernaro Assist (or both). Sparx Services provides the software bill of materials and deployment guidance.
Does Kernaro AI Hub replace Prolaborate?
No. Prolaborate is a browser-based EA portal for browsing and searching the repository. Kernaro AI Hub adds natural language querying on top of the same underlying EA GraphLink connection. Some organizations use both, Prolaborate for browsing, Kernaro AI Hub for natural language questions. Others migrate away from Prolaborate once Kernaro AI Hub is in place. It depends on your stakeholder base and use cases.
Do I need EA GraphLink to use Kernaro Assist?
No. Kernaro Assist operates inside the EA client and does not require EA GraphLink. However, if you’re already using Kernaro AI Hub or other GraphLink-connected tools, you’ve already deployed GraphLink. Kernaro Assist will function independently of GraphLink if that’s your deployment choice.
Is Kernaro Assist stable enough to use in production environments?
Kernaro Assist is in beta, meaning the feature set and API surface can change based on product development decisions made by Sparx Systems. You can use it on live models and benefit from its capabilities, but you should plan for the possibility of feature changes and deprecations. Sparx Services manages this through the Amplify service by designing governance and process that remain stable even as the tool evolves.
What does Kernaro AI Hub cost?
Kernaro AI Hub is licensed by Sparx Systems and the cost varies based on user volume and deployment scope. Sparx Services provides a software bill of materials and cost guidance as part of the sales process. The deployment cost (Connect service) ranges from $50,000 to $185,000+ depending on repository complexity, governance requirements, and security configuration.
Can I use Kernaro AI Hub with Microsoft Copilot at the same time?
Yes. Both products can connect to the same EA GraphLink instance and serve the same repository data. Kernaro AI Hub is a dedicated stakeholder portal for architecture intelligence. Microsoft Copilot (connected via MCP) integrates architecture data into M365 workflows (Teams, Outlook, Copilot Chat). The choice between them depends on your user reach and tool preference. Many organizations deploy both to reach different user populations, Kernaro AI Hub for architecture specialists, Copilot for M365-centric users.
If you want stakeholder self-service architecture intelligence, start with Connect to deploy Kernaro AI Hub. If you haven’t yet assessed your MDG readiness, begin with Discover.
If you want to increase architect productivity through natural language modeling, start with Amplify to develop Kernaro Assist capability. Discover is optional unless you’re uncertain about your MDG quality.
If you’re unsure where to begin, start with Discover. MDG readiness is the upstream foundation for both products.
Contact the Sparx Services team to schedule a discovery conversation about your Kernaro roadmap.
Talk to a Sparx Services architect about where your organization is on the journey and what the next stage looks like.