Nintex: Using AI and Automation for Supply Chain Compliance

Supply chains around the world have been transformed by AI – ten years ago, processes were all manual, relying on spreadsheets and workers handling a steady stream of urgent but repetitive tasks.

However, ongoing volatility and supply chain disruption has meant that these systems no longer work. As supply chains began finding themselves in a constant state of reaction, with changing regulations and complex relationship demands, other processes were needed.

AI entered the industry to transform efficiency, handling the repetitive and time-consuming tasks so the human workforce could focus on relationship-building and decision-making.

However, there have been concerns surrounding the acceleration of AI adoption and the increasing risk of data attacks and security risks. 

A recent whitepaper by Nintex explores how enterprise automation is able to help drive responsible AI adoption, with a control over sensitive data and strong risk-management.

To find out more, read the whitepaper published by Nintex.

Avoiding risk

Nintex is a process automation platform aiming to help businesses streamline workflows. In the era of AI adoption, but also AI fears, Nintex has published an enterprise guide, exploring how businesses can implement adoption without sacrificing supply chain control.

A common discovery that platforms are finding within businesses is that organisations are quick to implement AI and automation across their workflows, but they often fail to do so accurately. They are either applying it to the wrong software, focusing on the wrong tasks, using it as 'one size fits all model', or putting their enterprise at risk by not taking the proper precautions.

"It feels different with AI. It’s moving quickly. The pace is unprecedented. The technology is moving faster than people and organisations can adapt," Keith Payne, APAC Regional Vice President at Nintex told Forbes Australia.

What we then see is greater risk of cyber attacks and data breaches, complications to supply chain workflow, or higher costs without the benefit. Nintex aims to fix that with its whitepaper, exploring where organisations go wrong with their integration of the software and how businesses can accurately use it to see gains.

Core takeaways from the whitepaper are:

• How to avoid vendor lock-in – by using flexible automation frameworks, organisations can adapt to modern AI technologies, without relying on a vendor
• Gaining compliance and governance strength – learn how to maintain oversight across regulated environments
• How to control costs – as organisations and AI adoption grows, cost-predictability can help mitigate extra expenses
• Connecting enterprise-wide systems – operational efficiency can be improved by unifying legacy processes and systems through integrated automation

Ensuring compliance

The report explores how organisations are being impacted by AI, stating, "AI can have as many cons as pros, unless you set the stage for your AI initiatives with automation built for enterprises". 

To counteract the cons, Nintex uses its platform to future-proof automation investments, making sure it is governable and can respond to ongoing AI advancements. AI tools which cannot adapt mean that businesses who invest in them, will soon need to spend more money on modern tools. Nintex argues that flexibility is the key to staying secure when focusing on supply chain security.

Nintex reports that unauthorised use of AI is more widespread than employers realise – as employees look at ways to speed up processes, they are not waiting for subscriptions from their bosses. Instead, they are creating a visibility issue.

Leaders are no longer in control of the data, meaning there is no standardisation across operations. This puts the company at risk of inefficient privacy settings, too much data-sharing and more.

As a result, Nintex calls for a new strategy across enterprise automation, focusing on consistency and governance in order to protect organisation data and unlock full value from automation. This includes the automation of compliance features, such as audit trails, standardised data handling and embedded workforce rules.

Organisations need to ensure control and compliance of AI use within the supply chain workflow, in order to ensure connectivity and visibility throughout operations. This helps strengthen processes across the workflow, resulting in more resilience. 

To find out more, read the whitepaper published by Nintex.