By Magnus Oxenwaldt, Global AI-Director

A fundamental transformation is reshaping business processes and value creation. This isn't just another technological update; it's a move into an era where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming the core engine of business progress.

We are in the midst of a profound shift in how we work, interact with digital tools, and ultimately, create value. 

Consider the evolution of digital transformation. We transitioned from paper to computers, connected them to networks, automated routine tasks, and gained access to unprecedented amounts of data. Each step was significant, but the current wave is different. It marks the rise of truly intelligent systems. AI is moving from the periphery to become a foundational element of how future businesses will operate. This observation is not mine alone; powerful trends across the technology industry, major consultancies, and enterprise adoption rates evidence it. 

From experimental to mission-critical

We are witnessing a critical evolution from isolated AI experiments to mission-critical, revenue-generating applications. Many organizations are already moving past proof-of-concept trials and are actively implementing AI to solve core business challenges. This widespread investment and adoption signal that the shift to intelligence-based operations is well underway, driven by the universal pursuit of greater efficiency, innovation, and a decisive competitive advantage. 

An international survey by IBM underscores this trend, revealing that 28 percent of businesses are already automating workflows with AI. Furthermore, 76 percent are actively developing or running AI projects designed to transform their company's core processes. 

Two ways AI is developing business

This fundamental change is unfolding through two distinct, yet complementary, approaches. The first approach is a top-down strategy, which involves identifying operational pain points, uncovering new opportunities, and deploying targeted AI and automation solutions to deliver measurable business value. Through continuous development with our customers, we are building solutions that generate tens of millions in value.

You can read more about these projects here.

The second approach is emerging from the ground up. Today, employees are independently using CoPIlot, ChatGPT, Claude, and Google Gemini to become more efficient in their daily tasks—a phenomenon often termed "shadow IT." While this brings individual productivity gains, the upside of implementing a structured, business-wide approach is incredible. 

The intelligent layer: your smart, digital colleague 

A structured approach involves introducing an "intelligence layer" composed of microservices and AI agents tailored to your specific industry and business needs. By integrating this layer with your company's data and processes, you provide employees across every department—from finance and production to marketing and sales—with an intelligent digital colleague. 

This intelligence layer becomes a powerful asset. It learns from your organization's unique knowledge base, adapting to individual roles to deliver context-specific insights and recommendations. It evolves with user patterns and preferences, drawing upon your business history, proprietary processes, and innovations. The result is a powerful competitive advantage that cannot be replicated. 

So, what does this transformation look like in practice? It unfolds across six interconnected areas that together paint a complete picture of this new technological paradigm. 

1. From clicking Commands to stating intent

The way we interact with technology is being inverted. For decades, we learned the machine's language—navigating complex menus, clicking specific buttons, and typing precise commands. We adapted to the technology. 

Now, technology is learning to understand us. Imagine instead of hunting through software menus, you simply state, "Show me last quarter's sales figures for our top three products and compare them to the previous quarter." AI-powered technology is becoming smart enough to understand your intent and execute the task. This shift makes complex systems accessible and empowers people to focus on their objectives, not on manipulating the software. 

2. From long projects to rapid value creation

When we can communicate our needs more directly, the way we approach projects naturally changes. In the past, major technology initiatives were often marathons—long, complex undertakings with benefits that might not materialize for months or even years. 

The AI-driven approach favors a faster, more iterative model. By leveraging AI to process information and automate work, we can break down large goals into smaller, manageable steps, each delivering tangible value. Think of it as building something significant in phases, where each phase is useful on its own. This allows businesses to see results faster, learn iteratively, and adapt their strategies in a rapidly changing world. It's about making steady, valuable progress. 

3. From separate silos to connected intelligence

This agile approach addresses a long-standing challenge: disconnected business systems. Traditionally, departments like finance, sales, and operations have used separate systems that don't communicate easily, requiring manual effort to create a holistic view of the business. 

AI acts as an intelligent connector, breaking down these walls by understanding and processing information across disparate systems. Imagine having a unified view where you can see how different parts of your business perform and influence one another without switching between applications. This isn't about replacing your existing systems, but about adding an intelligent layer that helps them work together seamlessly. 

4. From rigid structures to flexible building blocks

To support this connected intelligence, the way we build technology must also evolve. Older systems were often monolithic—powerful, but rigid and slow to adapt to changing business needs. 

The modern approach favors flexible, modular architecture. Picture an "Intelligence Orchestrator"—a smart management layer that understands business objectives. When an employee states an intent, this orchestrator instantly assembles the right "building blocks"—be it specific AI tools, data sources, or functions from various applications—to accomplish the task. This makes it far easier to add new capabilities and modify processes as your business grows. 

5. From recording information to actively assisting

With these changes in place, let's consider what our systems can achieve. Historically, business software has excelled at recording information—tracking sales, managing inventory, and maintaining records. They provided a snapshot of what had already happened. 

The AI era enables systems to do much more. They can move beyond passive data recording to actively assisting in decision-making and, with human oversight, taking action. For example, instead of merely showing that inventory is low, an intelligent system could predict future demand based on market trends, suggest an optimal reorder quantity, and even stage the purchase order for approval. It's about technology becoming a proactive partner in your business. 

6. From executing tasks to guiding strategy

As AI-powered systems handle more complex and data-intensive work, what does this mean for our roles? The goal of AI is not to replace human expertise but to augment it. By automating routine work, AI frees people to concentrate on strategic, creative, and complex problem-solving. 

The focus of our roles shifts from manual implementation and detailed configuration to designing intelligent solutions and overseeing the effective and ethical use of AI. People become the strategists, innovators, and critical thinkers who guide the technology, leveraging its power to achieve greater outcomes. 

Our job is to guide powerful AI by smart insight 

This transformation is about more than adopting new tools. It requires fostering a culture of continuous learning, embracing new ways of working, and focusing on how these advancements drive better results. It's about recognizing AI as a powerful collaborator that, when guided by human insight, helps us all work smarter and achieve more. 

This is an ongoing evolution toward a more intelligent, responsive, and opportunity-rich future. It's a story of transformation that every business is now a part of. 

The journey into this intelligence-driven era is exciting. If you're ready to define what this means for your organization and explore how these advancements can be tailored to your unique ambitions, Columbus is here to help you chart the course.