Artificial intelligence applications are reaching into many aspects of our daily lives, and the office is no exception.
Tools that rely on machine learning techniques to produce data insights are maturing. As a result, a growing number of businesses are adopting platforms that incorporate AI to improve daily processes. Among companies with 250 or more employees, nearly 25% have already deployed some form of AI, and its popularity continues to grow.
What’s the truth behind the buzzwords? How has AI in the workplace developed staying power and a reputation for reliability? With extensive capabilities across several key areas, AI in the workplace can help businesses achieve a surprising degree of automation.
Cognitive Capture Streamlines Document Management
Offices deal with a significant amount of paperwork each day, and much of that information must go into the company’s computer systems. Data capture efforts are highly prone to errors—not to mention that such processes can take up an immense amount of staff time. Enter AI-powered cognitive capture based on the machine learning capability of natural language processing.
Cognitive capture AI can intelligently scan documents created with PDF software and locate the most essential information on the page, then input it automatically into the systems that require the data. For example, accounts payable might handle a range of purchase orders and invoices that contain the same basic information, but the documents are rarely in the same format. Cognitive capture can identify critical recurring figures and develop document profiles that eliminate manual data entry.
No-Code Process Automation Gives Staff More Power
With so much information to handle, it’s difficult to ensure that data ends up in the appropriate places and in front of the correct individuals. With robotic process automation, or RPA, businesses can create custom digital workflows powered by smart software robots that can perform tasks previously handled by staff. Modern “no-code” and “low-code” platforms make it easy for employees to create, tweak, and tailor workflows that can occur automatically or follow complex rules.
Easily Summarize Complex Information
The language processing capabilities of AI can help executives and managers process vital information. Tools capable of processing text continue to improve, and they now have the capability to provide automatic summaries of the most important points in a document. Other tools can condense text, presenting the most critical passages to the user. Some cutting-edge projects not only summarize text but produce it, too–for example, to allow real estate agents to use AI-generated listings.
In an age of information overload, the opportunity to quickly grasp complex subjects with AI-generated briefs could make a difference. Consider a staffer who needs to prepare a manager for an all-hands meeting on recent progress. Providing an intelligent, AI-generated summary of the department’s performance could be a valuable tool for fast preparation.
Where Does Business AI Go from Here?
With AI already impacting efforts in both the front and back office, this technology is poised to continue changing the way that we do business. Just as the computer transformed the way that we work, AI will be at the forefront of a second revolution in how we handle information. In an increasingly complex global business era, AI and machine learning tools will be the linchpin for success.
By Ben Liu eCommerce Director at Kofax
Ben Liu is an experienced eCommerce director in Irvine, California with more than 15 years building brands and refining the development of revenue streams. After generating more than $100 million of incremental revenue improvements in previous positions for heavy hitters across the tech industry, Ben joined the Kofax team. Now a driving force behind innovative marketing efforts and the growing popularity of Kofax Power PDF with SMBs, he continues to improve outreach via innovative chat bots, data-driven marketing analysis, and a dedication to consumer-first content. By bringing an engineer’s eye for detail to Kofax along with a passion for helping brands reach their potential, Ben’s charting a course for continued success at Kofax.
