Automation with AI: Businesses will never be the same again

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving beyond a trend to become a transformative force in business operations. At NRF 2025, the impact of AI-powered automation was widely discussed, revealing its potential to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve the user experience.

I participated in several enriching conversations that highlighted how automation is shaping the future of business, bringing innovation to processes that previously relied exclusively on human intervention.

Leaving theory

Among the examples presented at the event, some stand out for their direct application and significant results:

1. Finance and Reconciliation: Financial process automation is helping companies minimize errors and free up teams for strategic tasks. An automated system can validate transactions and generate accurate reports at a pace that would be impossible manually.
   
2. Employee onboarding: Large companies like PepsiCo are using automation to streamline the onboarding of new employees, eliminating bureaucratic barriers and ensuring productivity from the start.
   
3. Supply chain: Automation streamlines processes like order data uploads, reducing delays and improving operational efficiency.
   
4. Knowledge management: Generative AI systems allow you to create intelligent knowledge bases, organizing information in an accessible way and responding to questions contextually, which improves the flow of internal information.
   

Unveiling the future

Implementing AI-powered automation, while promising, presents considerable challenges. Models need to be tailored to the specific needs of each organization, requiring efforts in training and data governance. 

Furthermore, data quality is crucial. Inconsistent or incomplete data can compromise the effectiveness of automated systems, underestimating their true potential.

A recommended approach is to start small. High-impact but simple pilot projects help demonstrate the value of automation. By analyzing the results and proposing improvements, you can build trust and scale your efforts.

The combination of generative AI with structured and unstructured data management represents the next evolutionary leap. Imagine systems capable of answering complex questions, such as regional sales performance analysis, in seconds. This future is already being shaped by companies that prioritize governance, security, and user-centric design.

Automation is not just a technological tool, but a catalyst for structural changes that reconfigure processes and pave the way for even greater innovations. Investing in the integration of these solutions means, above all, preparing your organization for tomorrow's challenges and opportunities.

By adopting this technology strategically and ethically, companies can not only optimize processes but also achieve a level of operational excellence that defines market leaders.