Ep. 17 - AI in Automation: Hype, Reality, and What Comes Next

In this Enterprise Automation Excellence episode, hosts Dan Twing and Tom O'Rourke discuss AI's impact on enterprise automation and orchestration. Dan takes a more optimistic stance while Tom adopts a pragmatic perspective on AI adoption timelines. They recognize that AI technologies like neural networks and machine learning are already deployed in enterprise environments, and that the current focus is on new capabilities like Large Language Models (LLMs) and agentic AI. The hosts agree that current AI implementations in automation tools are being driven by vendor marketing rather than customer demand, with many products adding AI features as competitive necessities rather than selecting customer-requested solutions. They emphasize that meaningful AI adoption in enterprise automation will require years, not months, and success depends heavily on organizational maturity, data quality, and process standardization.Key PointsCurrent AI adoption is vendor-driven – Software providers are adding AI labels to products based on market pressure rather than customer requests, creating "me-too" product management.Limited real-world validation – Claims about productivity gains (such as reducing 300 L1 support staff to 6) remain largely unproven with insufficient deployment data.Basic AI features dominate – Most current implementations focus on simple chatbots and natural language interfaces rather than advanced automation capabilities.Integration challenges persist – AI's value in core automation functions like system integration and orchestration remains unclear and undemonstrated.Adoption timeline is extended – Similar to containerization (which took 15 years to reach 50% adoption), AI integration will be a multi-year journey.Success requires organizational maturity – Effective AI implementation depends on having well-curated data, standardized processes, and clear problem-to-solution mappings. Takeaways for Automation Leaders1. Audit and Improve Data Quality and Process MaturityConduct a comprehensive review of your current automation processes and data managementpractices. Focus on standardizing how problems are documented, solutions arerecorded, and processes are executed. 2. Develop a Strategic Partnership Approach with VendorsSelect 1-2 key vendors to work with as strategic partners for adopting AI into the automation portfolio. Establish pilot programs with clear success metrics. 3. Adopt Governance and Validation FrameworksLearn more about your organization's AI governance and validation models. Review your existing processes and adjust them to address potential risks introduced by the introduction of AI capabilities.EAE Podcast Home: https://em360tech.com/podcast-series/enterprise-automation-excellenceFeedback & Questions: mailto:[email protected]

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