How AI-powered Automation Can Give Organizations an Operational Efficiency Edge

By Ashley Boag, Chief Operating Officer EMEA

In the fast-moving world of digital transformation, businesses are under immense pressure to accelerate their operations and adapt quickly to stay competitive in an era dominated by AI and technological advancements.

According to McKinsey research, companies that embrace diverse growth strategies are 97% more likely to outperform their competitors. This stark statistic underscores the critical importance for organizations to innovate continuously while also optimizing their internal processes and customer interactions to maintain a competitive edge.

McKinsey’s research highlights that AI driven automation is crucial for optimising operations. and this can help organisations boost operational efficiency by up to 30%. This improvement arises from AI and automation’s ability to correct repetitive tasks, improve data accuracy and speed up workflows, allowing businesses to function with exceptional speed and precision. Additionally, these technologies enhance operational processes by offering a strategic edge by improving performance and enabling a more agile response to market changes.  –

By integrating AI-driven automation, businesses in the Middle East can position themselves at the forefront of operational excellence, leveraging these advancements to gain a significant edge over competitors and meet the evolving needs of their customers.

Tackling Regional Challenges with AI and Automation

In the Middle East, businesses face the challenges of rapid economic growth, diverse markets, and complex regulatory environments. To navigate these issues effectively, AI and automation play crucial roles. AI provides real-time insights into market trends and consumer behavior, allowing companies to swiftly adapt to shifting demands and stay competitive.

AI can also assist in interpreting and complying with varied regulatory requirements, ensuring businesses remain compliant while focusing on growth and innovation. Industries such as healthcare, finance, and logistics stand to benefit significantly from AI; for example, AI-driven diagnostics can enhance patient care in healthcare, predictive analytics can optimize investment strategies in finance, and automated supply chain management can streamline operations in logistics.

Automation helps manage increased workloads and standardizes processes, improving scalability and efficiency. AI can also assist in interpreting and complying with varied regulatory requirements, ensuring businesses remain compliant while focusing on growth and innovation.

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Driving new value creation

An automation platform is designed to elevate how organizations can take action on information flows between the various systems, people, and communications necessary to get work done. The result is faster automation creation, time-to-value, and productivity gains.

Enterprise automation success is not defined by adoption alone but by meaningful integration at scale. Central to this is a robust value framework, delineating critical value drivers such as operating expenses or revenue growth, and spotlighting key program goals that align with overall business objectives.

The successful integration of AI-powered automation serves as the foundation for harnessing the novel business opportunities presented by this technology. In a recent study, respondents imagine a future where AI-powered automation enables new product or service offerings (58%), creates avenues for data monetization (52%), allows for heightened personalization in offerings (47%), and paves the way to tap into previously uncharted markets or customer segments (26%). These opportunities can be unlocked when automation is scaled and integrated throughout an entire business, amplifying its impact, and adding more cases for value-creation within the enterprise.

Before an automation initiative commences, firms must identify the value drivers it will impact, create KPIs for outcome measurement, and develop a clearly defined timeline. Additionally, a rigorous validation process (often with a financial controller’s endorsement) is recommended. In doing so, enterprises ensure that automation efforts are prolific and impactful.

Accelerating business outcomes with automation and AI

Businesses are increasingly using automation and AI to boost efficiency. For instance, Johnson Controls, a multinational specializing in building solutions, has significantly improved its invoice processing by integrating AI. Previously, the company manually entered thousands of invoices each month, a process prone to errors and delays. By adopting AI-driven automation, Johnson Controls now processes invoices automatically, improving both speed and accuracy.

Strategic Workforce Evolution and Technological Integration

Organizations expect a return on investment (ROI) from automation, whether through cost savings, new revenue streams, or productivity gains. To realize these benefits, businesses must strategically manage workforce changes. Automation frees employees from repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic and creative roles. Understanding the interaction between technology and employees helps optimize ROI from both technological investments and human talent.