Artificial Intelligence (AI) is moving from being a trend to becoming a transformative force in business operations. At NRF 2025, the impact of AI-based automation was widely discussed, revealing its potential to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and improve 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 solely on human intervention.
Moving from theory
Among the examples presented at the event, some stand out for their direct application and significant results:
- Finance and reconciliation: the automation of financial processes 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.
- Employee onboarding: large companies like PepsiCo are using automation to streamline the integration of new employees, eliminating bureaucratic barriers and ensuring productivity from day one.
- Supply chain: with automation, processes such as order data upload are optimized, reducing delays and improving operational efficiency.
- Knowledge management: generative AI systems enable the creation of intelligent knowledge bases, organizing information in an accessible way and answering questions contextually, which improves internal information flow.
Unveiling the future
The implementation of AI 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.
Moreover, data quality is fundamental. 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 results and proposing improvements, it’s possible to build trust and expand the scale of 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 sales performance analyses in specific regions, in seconds. This future is already being shaped by companies that prioritize governance, security, and user-centered 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.
