We asked over 400 process leaders how they use AI. Here’s what they said.

The results reveal that process leaders have strong confidence in AI's ROI and have big plans for its deployment within the next year. The survey also found that process leaders are already using AI widely, including for continuous improvement, process automation, and data insights – all the while still relying on dedicated process excellence teams. What’s more, leaders are also showing a growing reliance on process mining to provide the necessary context for AI to truly deliver value.

Let’s now take a look at the survey results–and what you can learn from them–in a little more detail.

Process leaders feel confident about AI’s potential

Process Improvement and Operations leaders have high expectations for what they can achieve with AI. We know, because out of all the departments we surveyed for our 2025 Process Optimization Reports, (including IT, Finance, and Supply Chain) Process Improvement and Operations were the most likely to say that:

• They’ll have established AI use cases in the next 12 months
• AI will deliver significant ROI in the same
• time period

In addition, 81% of these business leaders say that they’ll be using AI to improve processes in the coming year. With all of this, it’s fair to say that Process and Operations teams are very optimistic about the potential of AI.

• Check out the Process Improvement and Operations Edition for the full results.

AI is already being used for process improvement today in a wide variety of ways

AI is already being used to improve processes in varied ways, with more than half of Process and Operations leaders currently using AI for both continuous improvement and process automation.

These were the top three use cases cited:

1. Continuous improvement: 52% of process leaders say they’re using

AI to monitor operational data in real-time and drive continuous process improvement. What’s more, an additional 43% expect to be doing this in the next 12 months.

• Discover how Ingka Group, an IKEA retailer, is applying AI-powered Process Intelligence across Order Management, Procurement, Accounts Payable, and Accounts Receivable, in a drive for continuous improvement.

2. Process automation: 51% are already using AI to automate their processes, while 44% are planning on starting in the coming year. AI-powered process automation is likely to be a priority area for Process and Operations teams moving forward, with 89% of leaders saying intelligent automation will unlock more value than anything else in the next five years.

• See how Campari Group uses intelligent automation to streamline its Accounts Receivable process

3. Data-driven decision-making: 46% are currently using AI to generate the insights they need to enable data-driven decision-making. And 47% say they intend to begin using AI for this purpose in the next 12 months.

• Find out how Smurfit Westrock uses Process Intelligence and AI to bring clarity and transparency to Maintenance, Production, Finance, and Procurement processes, so it can make informed decisions around Inventory Management and unlock millions in value.

Even in areas where AI use is currently low, there are plans to harness its potential in the near future. While less than a quarter (24%) say they’re using AI to identify process improvement opportunities right now, 65% plan to adopt it imminently.

People continue to have a pivotal role in process improvement

While Process Improvement and Operations leaders are forging ahead with AI, it doesn’t mean they’ll be relying solely on it to drive process improvement. Leaders say that people – especially when organized in dedicated process excellence teams – are still essential to successful process optimization. The results reveal that:

• 86% of leaders say people are as important as technology in unlocking the value hiding in their processes.
• 91% say the most successful companies in their sector have dedicated process excellence budgets and teams.

This emphasis on combining the best of human expertise with technology to improve processes echoes the results of another Celonis research report. Conducted in partnership with Fraunhofer FIT, the research into Centers of Excellence revealed that businesses with an expert team mandated to provide leadership are around nine times more likely to see a positive return on their process optimization investment.

AI success requires process understanding

It’s positive that so many Process and Operations leaders are embracing AI-powered process improvement, as well as recognizing the role of people in making it work. But there’s often a missing piece of the puzzle, in the form of process understanding. To find opportunities for process improvement, AI must first understand how processes run today. This visibility can be gained through technologies like process mining, with 91% of Process Improvement and Operations leaders using process mining or expecting to use it in the next 12 months.

At Celonis, our Process Intelligence Platform takes the insights from process mining, and layers in process knowledge and AI. Businesses can then use AI algorithms to see where value opportunities lie and how to capture them, to get those workflows truly working.

Process Intelligence can also be used to give other AI tools – like AI agents, assistants, and co-pilots – the business context they need to be effective. Process Improvement and Operations leaders recognize the value of Process Intelligence in making AI work, with 87% saying AI needs the context of how their business runs to be effectively deployed.