Lock-in can arise from proprietary tools, stored sessions, bundled access, provider-specific prompts, unique model behavior, private data formats, contracts, or a stack controlled by one company. The issue is the switching barrier, not simply a long relationship.
Organizations reduce lock-in with portable data, modular harnesses, direct credential options, standard interfaces, documented fallbacks, open-weight alternatives, and regular tests that prove critical workloads can move.
ELI5
Vendor lock-in means it is hard or expensive to move from one provider to another after a product or workflow depends on that provider's special features. The barrier can be technical, contractual, financial, or based on data that is difficult to export.
For example, a coding team may rely on one provider's bundled model, saved agent context, and unique tools. If access ends, moving may require new keys, rewritten prompts, different integrations, and retraining users rather than one simple switch.
