Digital transformation and automation: What role does AI have to play?

Bradley Flook, chief revenue officer at Intoware, explores the role artificial intelligence has to play in helping improve automation, exploring what steps companies need to take to prepare.

We’ve all been witness to the digital revolution that’s swept industry in recent years. Terms such as ‘the connected workforce’ and ‘digital transformation’ have become commonplace in board rooms and out in the field, as new technologies emerge allowing businesses to streamline operations.

However, with artificial intelligence (AI) evolving at an incredible pace, and an estimated 82 percent of manufacturers reporting plans to increase their budgets in this area over the next 12-18 months, the digital revolution is only set to accelerate even further.

So what do organisations need to do to prepare? And what benefits is AI set to bring to the table when it comes to automation and process management?

First things first, it’s vital companies are clear on the objectives of their digital transformation journey.

This starts with going back to basics, understanding the difference between digitalisation and digitisation.

Digitalisation vs Digitisation

The two terms sound similar but mean entirely different things.

Digitisation summarises the movement to, quite literally, digitise paper documents – transferring items into bits and bytes.

From photographs to important company documentation – more and more of the items we used to rely on paper for have moved over into cyberspace, bringing improved safeguarding of information and making things more accessible than ever before.

“With digital processes in place to ensure data is being captured, organisations can unlock valuable insights into business operations – from task completion times to identifying bottlenecks and inefficiencies.”

However, this process on its own won’t transform a business. Digitalisation will.

Digitalisation is when an organisation’s data is processed through advanced digital technologies and used for the purposes of digital transformation within a business.

Digitised data is captured and processed, presenting a wealth of data that allows a company to analyse its systems and processes and, in turn, drive major change within the way it operates.

The pioneering researcher on digital transformation, George Westerman, summarises it perfectly, saying: “When digital transformation is done right, it’s like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, but when done wrong, all you have is a really fast caterpillar.”

The value of data

While the digitisation of documents and the introduction of digital technology to manage processes is a great move, it’s not enough on its own, especially with AI now at the table.

It’s well documented that the rise of AI has the potential to completely overhaul systems and processes – but doing this successfully relies on having the right kind of data capture processes in place across the organisation from the outset.

This information comes initially from human input, placing employees at the centre of any digitalisation and AI strategy to understand the ways they work, the data touchpoints that exist and working with them to identify areas that could be streamlined to be more productive and efficient.

With digital processes in place to ensure data is being captured, organisations can then unlock a whole wealth of valuable insights into business operations – from the time taken to complete tasks, to any bottlenecks that are occurring. This data then provides the solid foundations required to leverage AI effectively across the organisation.

Reducing human error

Providing AI tools with company data to work with requires a process of its own however, to ensure the information is standardised and consistent.

If you’re manually describing a task or a process, or allowing the workforce to provide their own bespoke responses to task-based questions or requests, there’s always going to be an increased risk of error.

People naturally describe items or processes in different ways, but this can cause problems when inputting data into workflow automation tools and utilising AI.

Standardising this information, allowing people to choose from a pre-populated list or use standardised prompts, removes any inconsistencies and, in turn, improves the standard of data collected, ensuring uniformity across processes within the organisation as well as giving AI clear and consistent information to work with.

“AI isn’t going anywhere – it’s here to stay and is already shaping the way industry works, fast. Keeping pace will be key for organisations looking to stay competitive as technology evolves.”

Empowering AI for automation

Once digital transformation has begun, with standardised data capture processes in place and employees on-board and invested in the changes, AI tools can then get to work in supporting organisations with creating digital workflows and procedures quickly and easily, boosting productivity and reducing the chance of human error across the board.

A good example of this is company compliance with industry standards and regulations – something that’s of critical concern to industry.

AI-powered workflow automation can take the steps necessary to fulfil compliance requirements, such as preventative maintenance tasks, certification, training requirements and documentation sharing, and almost instantaneously create standardised digital processes for the workforce to follow, ensuring every action is carried out in the right way, is documented and verifiable.

Alongside this, AI systems can then also facilitate real-time monitoring and reporting, alerting teams to potential compliance issues before they escalate.

“AI-powered workflow automation can fulfil compliance requirements almost instantaneously, creating standardised digital processes that ensure every action is carried out correctly, documented, and verifiable.”

Transformative shift

AI isn’t going anywhere – it’s here to stay and is already shaping the way industry works, fast. We’re in the midst of a revolution and AI’s role in workflow automation is only going to grow. Keeping pace will be key and it’s the organisations who put in place the right processes now to work with AI that will stay competitive as the technology evolves even further, marking a transformative shift in the future of process management.

FAQs: Digital Transformation and AI in Automation

What is the difference between digitisation and digitalisation?
Digitisation is converting paper documents to digital form and digitalisation is using digital data to transform and optimise business processes

Why is data standardisation important for AI?
It ensures consistency and accuracy in data input, reducing errors and providing AI with reliable information to automate workflows effectively

How does AI reduce human error in automation?
By creating standardised digital workflows and limiting manual or varied input, AI minimises inconsistencies and mistakes across processes

What benefits does AI bring to compliance management?
AI can automate compliance tasks, documentation and monitoring, alerting teams to issues before they escalate and ensuring verifiable actions

Why must employees be involved in AI and digital transformation strategies?
They provide critical insights on existing workflows and data points helping to identify inefficiencies and improve adoption of new systems

Is AI adoption necessary for staying competitive?
Yes, as AI continues to evolve it is becoming integral to efficient process management and automation across industries

What is the first step companies should take to leverage AI?
Establish clear digital transformation goals and ensure robust, standardised data capture processes are in place