Vendors are integrating AI functionalities into process orchestration and automation platforms, prompting discussions on whether this represents a revolution or merely an evolutionary step.
Camunda, a leading process orchestration company, has unveiled plans to introduce new AI capabilities to its business orchestration platform later this year. Presented at the CamundaCon 2024 event in Berlin, the company’s focus on AI aims to simplify the intricate setup phase common in many business orchestration projects.
A significant component of Camunda’s AI initiative is the introduction of a new generative AI help system called Camunda Copilot. This system is designed to streamline various complex tasks involved in process orchestration. For instance, one of its features, Copilot Suggestions, allows users to describe processes in natural language, which the AI then translates into the industry-standard graphical language, Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN).
According to Camunda CTO Daniel Meyer, this AI-driven approach addresses a prevalent skill gap among employees who understand processes but lack the expertise to translate them into BPMN files.
Similar AI assistance has been available in Camunda’s platform since last year through its AI-assisted Form Builder. This tool enables developers to create forms using natural language descriptions, further reducing the skill gap required for process creation.
Additionally, Camunda is introducing AI connectors that facilitate the integration of its platform with generative AI machine learning platforms from OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, and Hugging Face, requiring minimal development resources.
Process orchestration plays a crucial role in digital businesses, coordinating various software systems, human decision-making, and communication layers to ensure seamless operations. AI is increasingly seen as a solution to streamline and enhance this complex process, although it raises implementation challenges and considerations such as compliance.
Forrester analyst Bernhard Schaffrik views Camunda’s AI announcement as evolutionary, positioning AI as a tool to augment existing capabilities rather than replacing them entirely. He emphasizes the importance of a pragmatic approach to AI implementation, highlighting the need for organizations to have a clear understanding of their process automation goals.
Camunda’s new AI features are currently undergoing experimental rollout to select customers and are expected to be integrated into Camunda 8.5 over the next six months.
Source: cio.com
