The Case for Process Automation Before AI: Building a Solid Foundation for Intelligent Transformation

The allure of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is undeniable. Businesses envision AI revolutionizing operations, from hyper-personalized customer service to data-driven decision-making. However, successfully implementing AI solutions often hinges on a less glamorous, yet essential foundation: Adaptive Process Automation (APA).

Why APA Comes First
Data Quality and Organization: AI algorithms thrive on high-quality, well-structured data. APA platforms excel at capturing, organizing, and standardizing data from processes across the organization. This paves the way for reliable AI insights and eliminates the “garbage in, garbage out” problem.

Process Maturity: AI is best suited for augmenting and optimizing already well-defined processes. APA tools enable organizations to analyze existing workflows, identify inefficiencies, and streamline them before applying AI. This maximizes the impact of AI investments.

Change Management: Process automation involves rethinking workflows and often requires organizational change. APA introduces these changes incrementally, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and laying the groundwork for embracing more complex AI-driven transformations down the line.

What is Adaptive Process Automation?
APA goes beyond traditional Business Process Management (BPM) solutions. Key features include:
Low-Code/No-Code Design: Empowers business users to directly design and modify workflows using visual, drag-and-drop interfaces, reducing reliance on IT specialists.
Advanced Analytics: Real-time process monitoring, identifying bottlenecks, and flagging potential compliance risks, allowing for quick adjustments.
Integration Capabilities: The ability to seamlessly connect with various enterprise systems and data sources, ensuring data consistency and eliminating silos.
Process Discovery and Mining: APA uses process mining tools to analyze system logs and automatically map complex, as-is processes. This provides invaluable insights for optimization.

Use Cases for APA
APA delivers significant benefits across various use cases, even without AI:
Customer Onboarding: Automating form completion, data validation, and compliance checks for faster onboarding and improved customer experience.
Procurement and Invoice Processing: Streamlining purchase orders, invoice matching, and approval, reducing manual errors and saving time.
Compliance Management: Automating documentation, reporting, and audit trails to ensure adherence to industry regulations.
Employee onboarding and offboarding: Managing HR processes related to new hires and employee departures, ensuring smooth transitions and data security.

The Path to AI-Augmented Automation
Starting with APA doesn’t mean giving up on AI. Instead, it creates a robust foundation for future AI adoption:
Optimized Processes: Clean, well-defined processes become perfect candidates for AI-driven decision-making and predictive analytics.
Process Data: APA solutions capture vast amounts of process-related data, which is critical for training and refining AI models.
Hybrid Automation: APA and AI can work in tandem, with APA handling routine tasks and AI offering insights and automation for complex decisions.

While AI promises transformational potential, a rushed implementation without a focus on process automation can lead to disappointing results. By embracing Adaptive Process Automation platforms, organizations enhance efficiency, gain valuable insights, and unlock their full potential for intelligent automation powered by AI.