Artificial Intelligence is a transformative force that affects various industries. Its diverse and rapid application in Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP software, a software system that integrates an organisation's business processes, is beneficial for data analysis, automation, talent management, optimisation of operation, and many more.
Eric Kimberling, CEO of Third Stage Consulting, shared in an article that leveraging AI in ERP software has proven to be a gamechanger, saying that, “All major ERP software vendors focus on integrating AI into their offerings. This isn't just speculative; these companies are developing AI capabilities within their software. Sometimes, even if the full capabilities aren't yet built, vendors are marketing their future vision for AI integration,” he shared.
He adds that AI is not just a buzzword but can transform ERP software through effective data analysis, predictive capabilities, and improved user interaction.
AI in ERP software
Data Utilisation: Kimberling said that organisations can leverage massive amounts of internal and external data through AI by integrating and analysing them and offering predictive analytics, and machine learning.
Conversational and Generative AI: He also said that conversational and generative AI allows intuitive interactions with systems.
“Instead of navigating through complex interfaces, users can simply ask questions or request data, similar to how one interacts with ChatGPT,” he said.
Creative Data Analysis: “AI opens up new possibilities for data analysis. Users can request AI to generate visual graph representations or innovatively compare different data sets. This requires a shift in how employees are accustomed to using ERP systems,” he opined.
Third-Party AI Solutions: He said organisations can consider standalone AI solutions apart from built-in AI capabilities in ERP systems. “These solutions can work alongside ERP systems and offer advanced AI capabilities, which is beneficial if an ERP vendor’s AI offerings are still maturing.”
