Intelligent Business Process Automation

The benefits of Artificial Intelligence technologies applied to business process automation activities through Research by the Intelligent Business Process Automation Observatory.

Goals

Activities

Work Group

Supporters

Objectives of the Observatory

The Intelligent Business Process Automation Observatory builds on the experience of the Artificial Intelligence Observatory. The Observatory aims to highlight the strategic value that artificial intelligence technologies bring to business process automation, emphasizing the potential benefits in terms of competitiveness, profitability, timeliness, and increased effectiveness in decision-making contexts. In particular, the project aims to serve as a permanent point of reference for decision makers so they can harness the innovative potential at the intersection of Robotic Process Automation and Artificial Intelligence solutions, while also studying the evolution of Agentic Automation applications.

Intelligent Business Process Automation: The Observatory Research

As part of its 2026–2027 Research Initiative, the Observatory aims to provide a snapshot and gain an understanding of the current state of Intelligent Business Process Automation in Italy. Specifically, it aims to

Survey and analyze the technology solution offering using a critical and pre-competitive approach, identifying current technology trends.
Estimate the prevalence of initiatives in this area within large Italian organizations and identify the benefits resulting from such initiatives
Identify successful use cases across various business processes
Examine and build knowledge regarding the variables that positively or negatively influence such adoption (e.g., process discovery methodologies, project development methodologies, organizational decisions, management of dedicated skills, reusability of developed services)
Examine BPM approaches and process redesign methodologies in depth

Advisory Board

In order to promote ongoing exchange and steer research toward the trends of greatest value to companies, the Intelligent Business Process Automation Observatory has formed a select advisory group consisting of leading professionals from the Process Intelligence and Automation field, as well as representatives from major international organizations across key industry sectors.

The members of the Advisory Board are as follows.

Anna Alechno, Global IT Intelligent Automation Lead, Japan Tobacco International
Armand Angeli, Vice-President Digital Transformation and Artificial Intelligence Group, DFCG
Meritxell Corbeto González, RPA Project Manager GBS Intelligent Automation, Bayer
Vladimiro Ferreira, Head Automation CoE IA/AI & IT Services Portugal, SEG Automotive
Pedro Gouveia, Director of Process Automation, ABN AMRO Bank N.V.
Vera Janevska, Global Intelligent Automation COE Manager, IKEA Retail Ingka Group
Vincenzo Marchica, Chairman, Intelligent Automation Community
Pierluigi Mega, Director Hyper-Automation and Process Excellence & Global Program Lead Merck Agentic Software Testing, Merck Group
Daniel Pires, Senior Manager Intelligent Automation & AI CoE, Natixis
Jishna Pulluru, Director AI & Automation, Sixt
Roderik Rensen, COO, Mobility Invest Group
Ali Erdem Silan, Head of Intelligent Automation, ING
Lyudmila Todorovska, Head of Global Digital & Technology HR, Corporate Affairs and Legal, The HEINEKEN Company

Activities

Intelligent Business Process Automation, Observatory Activities

The Observatory conducts research on the intelligent automation of business processes. Its activities combine surveys of IT and automation managers of large Italian and European companies, solutions analyses and in-depth case studies, with opportunities for discussion with stakeholders.

The meetings planned for the 2026–2027 edition of the Observatory are:

One Kick-off event open to the public, introducing the Observatory’s activities and research areas to interested companies
Four Research Workshops held in person and reserved for supporters of the initiative. Each workshop will explore selected research topics, drawing on contributions from supporters and, where relevant, insights from external speakers
An exclusive dinner with the AI Observatory community, exploring the AI value chain and the geopolitical dynamics surrounding this technology
The AI & Automation Talk, where partners and sponsors will present projects focused on artificial intelligence and process automation
A final conference open to the public and held both in person and online. As part of the IA Congress, an international congress on Intelligent Automation, the event will present the main research findings and bring them into discussion with institutional representatives, international practitioners, and supporters of the initiative
Outputs and content produced
The Observatory produces and shares a range of research outputs and in-depth content:
- Annual reports and topic-specific reports;
- Conference executive overviewsand presentations of research findings;
- Static and interactive charts, dashboards, and visual materials;
- Informative articles,in-depth analysis of specific topics, use cases, and editorial content;
- Materials reserved for Partners and Sponsors, andcontent to support decision-making by companies, professionals, and institutions;
- Webinars focused on specific topics, including market data, technology trends, practical applications, organizational impacts, and the implications of Process Automation.
Dissemination, external events and institutional relations
Alongside its research activities, the Observatory is invited to take part in events organized by some of the leading vendors in the automation sector. Its internationalization efforts have also enabled it to participate in international conferences focused on intelligent automation, including TechEx-Amsterdam. The event brings together conferences and exhibitions covering key technology areas for businesses, including artificial intelligence, Big Data, digital transformation, and intelligent automation.
Through these opportunities, the Observatory shares its expertise with its Community and helps build relationships with companies and stakeholders beyond Italy.
Become a supporter of the Intelligent Business Process Automation Observatory
The Intelligent Business Process Automation Observatory is supported by several sector Partner and Sponsor companies. Take part in the Research, access Observatory exclusive data before anyone else, network with companies and qualified experts and gain visibility in our events.
For more information please contact Irene Di Deo at irene.dideo@polimi.it.