How much has been said about Artificial Intelligence (AI) in recent years? We have some data: company CEOs have mentioned this term 3.5 times more in 2024 (almost 40%) than in 2022, according to IoT Analytics. In fact, AI is in the Top 3 of the most discussed aspects by senior managers.
It’s not a coincidence. If there is one area in which AI is going to completely transform the dynamics and way of doing things in a few years, it is work. Gartner predicts that by 2026, more than 100 million people will work with robotic colleagues or “robocolleagues” to help businesses. This idea of human-machine collaboration suggests a future where AI complements and enhances human capabilities rather than replacing them.
AI, star signing
The consulting firm draws a panorama of the future shaped by AI. For example, 40% of enterprise applications will have integrated conversational AI in 2024, up from less than 5% in 2020.
It highlights that by 2025, Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) will become an essential work partner for 90% of companies worldwide. Nearly 8 in 10 will use GenAI to create synthesized data by 2026.
Additionally, within that time frame the top five vendors of all enterprise software categories will use GenAI in their portfolio. 30% of companies will have implemented an AI-supported development and testing strategy, up from 5% in 2021.
A little later, in 2027, these experts predict that the effort to implement new developments will be reduced dramatically: almost 15% of applications will be automatically generated by AI without human intervention, compared to 0% today. And the number of companies directly using open source AI will increase tenfold.
AI is in the Top 3 of the most discussed aspects by senior managers
Going further, towards 2030, it raises the possibility that 80% of human beings will interact daily with intelligent robots. This projection suggests even deeper integration of AI into everyday life, from virtual assistants to home robots.
In terms of its influence on employment, until 2026, the global impact of AI will be neutral, without increase or decrease, which challenges conventional narratives about the impact of technology on employment: ten years later, all solutions of AI introduced to augment or perform autonomous tasks will generate more than 500 million new ‘human’ jobs.
Purchasing automation
The not-so-distant future is being drawn, therefore, as a scenario in which the most redundant tasks and the time spent assuming them will be drastically reduced or eliminated. And, in addition to labor relations, logically a key company department such as purchasing will also be, and is already being, directly affected by these changes.
The transformation of the purchasing function has gone from having a merely tactical role until the end of the last century to being a strategic function in the second decade of the 21st century. Furthermore, it has gone hand in hand with the birth of innovative technologies applied to business processes such as electronic invoicing or supplier approval.
What advantages will AI bring us? Of course, time savings and elimination of repetitive tasks. If before we dedicated a great effort to looking for the best alternative product or service, now we are inevitably heading towards a guided purchasing experience. Among other benefits, the customizable purchasing assistant quickly directs users to the organization’s preferred purchasing options.
Conversational interfaces for more intuitive interactions encourage adaptability and ease of use, eliminating the need for manual searches. In addition, they provide a personalized experience with options to direct you to catalog items, forms, favorites, etc. Finally, it improves the user experience by directing you to the negotiated and contracted services and products.
Leading AI and machine learning capabilities deliver a hyper-automated, conversational, collaborative and intelligent purchasing solution to accelerate results, improve decision-making and cost savings. As for suppliers, improved participation in an automated platform will improve interactions between them and the company.
Ultimately, future AI advancements will further accelerate automation, optimize resource utilization, and boost productivity. And we will arrive in time not only to witness them but also to participate in this essential transformation of the model of working, shopping, and living.
