AI needs process intelligence for meaningful impact

New research from Celonis indicates that 89% of business leaders believe AI is ineffective without the integration of Process Intelligence, while 58% express concerns that inefficiencies in processes could restrict AI's potential impact.

The study, which surveyed over 1,600 global business leaders, found that 81% plan to deploy AI for process enhancements within the next year. These findings underscore that AI, by itself, may not deliver substantial value unless combined with an understanding of business operations.

Celonis introduced AgentC, an AI-driven Process Intelligence suite aimed at providing insights that are independent of underlying systems, to optimise business operations.

According to the 2025 Process Optimization Report, while nearly all enterprises are implementing AI, 89% of leaders emphasise the need for AI to comprehend their operational processes to achieve meaningful outcomes. In addition, 58% of respondents remain anxious about process inefficiencies potentially limiting the effectiveness of AI initiatives.

Key insights from the research highlight that 74% of leaders are increasing their AI budgets and 64% anticipate significant returns on investment. Moreover, 61% have already deployed AI applications, such as GenAI chatbots, to boost operational efficiency. "AI agents need to be process aware - just like a GPS needs a map," commented Alex Rinke, co-founder and co-CEO of Celonis. "The survey results clearly demonstrate that business leaders recognize that there's no effective AI without Process Intelligence. Our platform, powered by the Process Intelligence Graph, provides enterprise AI the data and context it needs to be truly game-changing."

The Celonis platform is designed to offer AI agents comprehensive, cross-system process intelligence, enabling precise decision-making and impactful recommendations. At a recent announcement, Celonis introduced AgentC, a comprehensive suite that includes AI agent tools, integrations, and partnerships, allowing users to both utilise prebuilt AI agents and develop their own within prominent AI platforms.

Industry analysts and corporate clients have acknowledged Celonis' significant influence on enterprise AI. Gartner has recognised Celonis as a leader in the 2024 Magic Quadrant for Process Mining Platforms, citing its provision of AI-enhanced, system-agnostic process insights. Moreover, Celonis achieved a ranking of 13 on Forbes 2024 Cloud 100 list, indicative of its leading role among global private cloud firms.

The Process Optimization Report was formed from interviews conducted with 1,620 business leaders from July to August 2024. These leaders operate in various sectors, including Finance and Shared Services, Supply Chain, IT and Digital, and Process Improvement and Operations, and are based in countries such as Australia, Germany, the UK, and the US.