Automation and Data: How AI is Reshaping Enterprise Management

In public discourse, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been associated with striking applications such as image generation, automated text writing, and conversational assistants. However, the most significant transformation is not occurring in these visible applications, but in a much more strategic area for businesses: the back office. There, far from viral trends, AI is already redefining how organizations manage their finances, inventories, and key operations.

According to Elisa García Barragán, CEO of Netsoft, a leading strategic partner for Oracle NetSuite implementations in Latin America, this transformation is not a future promise but a measurable reality. McKinsey data indicates that 65% of global companies already use generative AI in at least one business function, nearly double the figure from less than a year ago. Furthermore, the World Economic Forum predicts that by 2027, approximately 42% of business tasks will be automated, with a high concentration in data-processing activities, the core of the back office.

“We are experiencing a profound reconfiguration of enterprise management. The true impact of Artificial Intelligence is not in accelerating superficial tasks, but in eliminating errors, reworks, and uninformed decisions that have consumed time and resources for years,” explains García Barragán.

From Innovation to Operational Requirement

The narrative surrounding enterprise AI is no longer futuristic. The combination of more accessible AI models, the maturity of cloud-based enterprise systems, and competitive pressure driven by nearshoring have accelerated its adoption. What was once a competitive advantage has now become an operational requirement, especially in sectors where traceability, precision, and anticipation are indispensable.

According to Netsoft’s CEO, automating critical processes is no longer an optional strategic decision but a prerequisite for maintaining business continuity and competitiveness.

Mexico and Latin America: An Urgent Adoption

In Mexico and Latin America, the imperative to integrate AI into administrative and operational processes is even more pronounced. Companies face challenges such as the digitalization of their supply chains, regulatory compliance, pressure from clients and partners, and the demand for real-time, error-free information.

In this context, AI in the back office is positioned as an ally to human talent. “It’s not about replacing people, but about freeing teams from operational burdens: endless accounting closings, manual reconciliations, misaligned inventories, and delayed financial reports,” states García Barragán.

The ERP as an Intelligent Platform

A modern ERP has ceased to be merely a recording system. Today, it integrates analytical, predictive, and generative capabilities that enable risk anticipation and enhanced decision-making. Key benefits include early detection of financial anomalies, automatic generation of clear explanations regarding business performance, and intelligent digitization of invoices, historically one of the most error-prone areas.

In areas such as operations and inventory, AI enables a shift from intuition to data-driven prediction, considering consumption patterns, seasonality, and market variations. Furthermore, early warnings about potential shortages or excesses help reduce supply chain risks, a crucial factor in highly variable environments like Mexico’s.

Silent, Yet Measurable Results

Unlike content-oriented AI applications, AI integrated into enterprise systems operates discreetly. Its objective is not to attract attention, but to sustain daily operations. The role of specialized consulting firms like Netsoft is crucial for embedding these technologies into real processes and aligning them with clear business objectives.

García Barragán emphasizes that companies that have already adopted operational AI agree on one point: the benefits do not emerge immediately, but through cumulative improvements, such as faster accounting closings, fewer reworks, greater financial clarity, more controlled procurement, and demand-aligned inventories.

The article

originally appeared on Líder Empresarial.