Many organizations are integrating AI agents into their existing workflows, but a true transformation—where AI takes on a leadership role—remains on the horizon. This perspective was shared by IT leaders at this year’s Microsoft Ignite conference, who discussed their current use of AI primarily within legacy processes. During a panel at the event, experts highlighted that while progress is underway, the industry is still in the early stages of AI-driven enterprise change.

Current Uses of AI in Enterprises

Executives from companies like EY, Pfizer, and Lumen emphasized that their AI efforts mainly focus on knowledge management, content creation, and research. These applications align with recent findings from McKinsey’s AI study, which reported heavy usage of AI tools in similar areas. Many organizations see AI agents as a means to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance productivity by replacing or augmenting traditional processes.

For example, EY has documented over 30 million internal processes and operates 41,000 AI agents. These agents are used to accelerate workflows through tools like Copilot, which helps streamline tasks and improve outcomes. The goal is to eventually abstract and optimize processes where critical data resides, paving the way for more comprehensive enterprise transformation.

The Path Toward Full Transformation

Early results are promising, with companies like EY already seeing tangible benefits. Their EY Tax Assistant, an AI-powered tool, can answer tax-related questions and provide up-to-date information on over 100 daily tax changes. This system leverages a finely-tuned model trained on 21 million domain-specific documents to ensure accuracy and relevance.

Pfizer is taking a phased approach, initially deploying AI models in select locations to build confidence before scaling. Their call-center agents handle customer inquiries in real-time, improving efficiency incrementally. By focusing on process-centric implementation, Pfizer aims to understand AI’s capabilities and refine its use, rather than attempting to overhaul processes overnight.

While full enterprise-wide AI leadership is still in development, these examples illustrate a cautious but steady movement toward more integrated and transformative AI applications in the corporate world.

Inspired by

• https://www.computerworld.com/article/4096980/ai-fluency-in-the-enterprise-still-a-horseless-carriage.html

Sources

• microsoft.com
• mckinsey.com