Now Comes the Age of Process AI

Inform is a Business Reporter client.

In a bustling cityscape in 2040, Elena and Leo, a duo bonded by care rather than birth, started their day with a routine refined by technological advancements. Beyond taking care of Leo, a teenager, Elena also works as a logistics strategist from home, while the 14-year-old has the option to either go to school or delve into his digital lessons. His educational AI has made learning a dynamic and personalized experience, however he decides to spend the day.

Elena and Leo‘s apartment is a nexus where AI’s subtle orchestration meet familial warmth. It seamlessly integrates the professional world with the rhythms of home life. In the early years, Leo’s parents worked part-time, or repeatedly took extended parental leave. As they balanced their careers with being parents, their AI assistants at home and at work ensured no beat was missed. To them, this world intertwined with AI was more than a vision; it was their reality. 

From large language to large business models

By 2040, AI had revolutionized how people but also how companies interacted. Imagine AI systems pre-negotiating contracts based on the general terms of the companies involved, or managing the bulk of highly automatable business processes before humans are involved. This wasn’t about removing human decision-making; it was about enhancing it, about preparing the groundwork for strategic, more informed decisions.

While the soft sunlight bathed their high-rise apartment, the duo sat down for their usual afternoon chat. The day had been eventful for Leo, who had just returned from a school project, leaving him with a mix of intrigue and confusion. “Elena,” he started, a hint of frustration in his voice. “Today, we debated AI. Some of my friends think AI is making companies too similar. But our teacher said it’s the opposite. I don’t get it. How does it actually work?” 

Elena pointed towards the city skyline visible through their window. “It’s a bit complex, but let me show you. The key lies in how companies use AI to differentiate themselves. You see, basic AI infrastructure, like the kind that handles routine tasks, is now common in all major companies. It’s become a standard tool. But the real competition is in how their employees use advanced AI to raise their processes to a new level.” 

Leo listened intently, his earlier frustration giving way to curiosity. “Let me give you an example,” Elena continued. “In my company, we use AI to analyze operations data, from sensors and IoT technology, for example. It’s about learning from every aspect of our operations and using that knowledge to improve.” Leo nodded, the concept beginning to take shape in his mind. “So, it’s like AI helps you see the bigger picture?”

“Exactly,” Elena replied. “But it’s not just about internal data. It helps us integrate external information like weather conditions, traffic updates and even the state of global supply chains. This integration is crucial in logistics. But here’s where it gets really interesting. We’ve trained our own large business models. These models understand and guide complex business operations and predict future trends, much like LLMs did with language in the early 2020s. 

“Algorithms assist us in planning and decision-making, often spotting opportunities or risks long before any human could. Those companies have come to have a competitive edge that use superior logic systems – very much like the way the logic behind social networks and the scalability of physical operations had become a competitive edge for some companies two to three decades ago. We call this Process AI.

“And there’s more. Companies even collaborate using AI. We share best practices and pretrain models on data that we share with our competitors, which might sound counterintuitive, but it benefits the entire industry. Such a thing was unthinkable 20 years ago, but it turned out that models became more efficient the more representative the knowledge they were trained on was."

Logic in the machine

Leo could now appreciate the depth of AI’s role in modern enterprises, a topic that was no longer just a school project but a glimpse into his potential future career path. As the evening unfolded, Elena delved into the IT infrastructure that underpinned these systems. “Modern IT systems automatically integrate with each other. We’ve seen a real shift from a data-centric to a logic-centric approach in IT.”

She paused, ensuring Leo was following. “The systems we use today focus more on logic than user interfaces. AIs operate in public clouds, but with strict considerations for information security and privacy. Running a company nowadays is essentially about digitally assembling and orchestrating these modular logic applications. And guess what? Other AIs assist in this orchestration.”

Leo, his curiosity piqued, leaned in. But just as he was about to ask another question, his parents arrived. “You’re just in time,” he said. “Elena and I were just finishing today’s lesson.” He stood up to meet his parents, while his personal, educational AI Elena turned off the screen to give the family some privacy.

On the verge of the new era of Process AI

Imagine waking up in the year 2040 as an operations manager overseeing a highly automated workspace. While sipping your coffee, you review the Process AI’s plan: It has adjusted your schedules for market demands and raw material challenges. “Good morning,” says the AI. “I propose to prioritize these tasks. Your approval is needed to proceed.” In this future, your role as operations manager will be strategic, guiding AI and contributing background knowledge. Perhaps, for example, you would prefer the AI to address market X, or customer Y in particular.

In 2040, AI serves as a backbone for human ingenuity. Humans stay in charge, making strategic decisions and taking responsibility for their companies’ actions. AIs and people will interplay, while the human touch in areas requiring empathy and nuanced judgement, will remain crucial.

What do we need to do now to move closer to such a future? Take a look at inform-software.com/process-ai to find out.

www.inform-software.com

This article originally appeared in Business Reporter.

Header image credit: Inform