The New Automation Mindset: AI + Automation + Integration

A few months after Workato's CEO Vijay Tella released the Wall Street Journal Bestselling Book, "The New Automation Mindset," we launched this companion podcast, and the response has been amazing. Thank you for the thousands of listeners who tuned in and to the incredible guests who joined us for Season One.We learned from leaders at Nvidia, Nasdaq, Vodafone, Amazon Web Services, Bain, Ernst and Young, Kyndryl, and many more. Now, we are excited to announce Season Two. Over the next 13 episodes, we'll hear from another incredible roster of business leaders. Join Markus Zirn, Chief Strategy Officer at Workato, as we continue the journey to learn more about this new era of AI, Automation, and Integration.

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Markus Zirn and Rama Theekshidar dive deep into what’s driving digital transformation in the distribution industry. Rama delves into the transformative potential of AI, the benefits of adopting composable architecture, and the significance of cultivating a growth mindset. From discussing the vast scale of the distribution industry to the evolutionary impact of new technologies and AI, Rama offers visionary insights and practical advice for leaders embracing change and innovation. These compelling insights extend beyond distribution to anyone navigating the digital transformation journey in their industry.Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(02:47) Understanding the distribution industry and Rama's background*(08:56) Evolution in the distribution industry*(15:00) Enabling digital transformation through composable architecture*(22:50) Choosing the right technology partner - What to look for and what to avoid*(28:52) AI's impact on the distribution industry*(37:42) Rama's thoughts on the future of AI in business*(46:01) How to be a rebel entrepreneur and Rama's advice for Technology leadersEpisode Key TakeawaysEmbrace composable architecture: Integrate flexible and interchangeable services to enhance scalability and efficiency within your operations. By adopting this approach, you empower your organization to adapt swiftly to evolving needs.Revolutionize your business with AI: Explore innovative applications of AI beyond task automation. Identify opportunities to leverage AI for creating new business models and enhancing existing ones, driving transformative change and competitive advantage.Harness existing experience and knowledge: While AI and automation are reshaping industries, Rama talks about the importance of retaining and re-purposing experienced staff. By blending traditional wisdom with cutting-edge technologies, you can achieve more sophisticated outcomes and sustainable growth.Commit to lifelong learning: As Rama quotes, "You only get smarter by playing a smarter opponent." Continuously seek knowledge from diverse sources to innovate and overcome challenges. Prioritize understanding human behaviors, business trends, and industry shifts alongside learning new technologies.Top Quote“Coming from an electrical industry, it's almost like we have to be like a transformer. A transformer's operating principle is mutual induction. And mutual induction is the power of a transformer to transfer power between a primary coil and a secondary coil and then magic happens, correct? That's mutual induction. What I mean by that in our world is how do we have business teams and technology teams acting as the primary and the secondary coil, and you create a mutual induction using a composable architecture where, we have made technology using composable architecture and large language models and AI where the business and tech teams are in it together, solving four problems together, not creating different solutions in silos. When we do that like a transformer, it is quite powerful, and then we will all win.”

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Markus Zirn and Luis Enriquez navigate the intricate world of technology leadership and business process optimization. Luis brings a wealth of experience in transforming IT and shares his insights from his roles at Grab and Zuellig Pharma. They dive into the benefits of focusing on process optimization and the importance of embracing discomfort as a significant catalyst for evolution. By scrutinizing buzzwords like AI and data, Luis stresses the importance of accessing their full potential beyond mere trends. Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(03:45) Luis' career journey at Grab*(16:35) Challenges of app overload and the importance of end-to-end process*(25:35) Luis' experiences at Zuellig Pharma and the Impact of process design*(36:30) Evolving role of technology in pharma distribution*(42:12) Advice for aspiring and experienced CIOsEpisode Key TakeawaysPrioritize effective process design: Focus on essential tasks, remove unnecessary steps, and automate wherever possible to enhance productivity in large-scale operations. This was exemplified by Luis’ experience at Grab, where he streamlined process models to drive efficiency.Don’t overlook the importance of data: All cutting-edge concepts such as AI substantially depend on data. Ensuring data is clean, ready, and in an environment conducive to AI applications is necessary for successful implementation.Learn and educate yourself continuously: It's crucial to understand different disciplines, geopolitical situations, and historical contexts, as they impact technology landscapes. Effective leaders continuously expand their knowledge base through reading, and learning about society, history, and other areas that shape technology. Embrace discomfort for innovation: It's through discomfort and challenging situations that new insights and improvements emerge. Consistently pushing oneself to new limits and stepping outside of your comfort zone is an excellent approach to becoming innovative and adaptable.Top Quote“To anybody starting on this journey - get into the details. Don't get caught in the buzzwords. AI is about data, it's as simple as that. Don't get caught in the sense of all these different companies coming: 'I will give you the X, the Y, the Z, and it will be implemented in no time, and tomorrow you will be a hundred points higher in your revenue.' No, it takes time to evolve. So get into the details, take the buzzwords out."

Episode SummaryIn this special episode, Markus Zirn is joined by a distinguished panel of AI and automation leaders: Harish Surendranath from Amazon Web Services, Jia Li from LiveX AI, and Jeff Thomas from NASDAQ. They delve deep into the transformational power of advanced AI technologies, exploring how generative AI is altering the landscape of business processes and workforce dynamics. From enhancing customer experiences to supercharging back-office operations, they shine a light on the myriad ways AI is redefining the enterprise world. Tune in to gain top insights into the AI revolution, the rise of generative AI, and how adopting an 'automation mindset' plays a crucial role in staying ahead of the curve.Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(04:35) Diving into the growth mindset and the CES Convention*(08:56) LiveX AI’s approach to GenAI *(13:05) GenAI use cases at AWS*(15:05) Future of Generative AI*(15:43) GenAI at NASDAQ*(20:29) Impact of the new AI transformation wave*(26:56) Democratization of AI*(30:42) AWS’s Approach to AI and its impact on customers*(36:05) Importance of responsible AI and governance*(38:41) Role of AI at NASDAQ*(42:02) Workato's approach to GenAI and the growth mindset*(48:50) Advice on GenAI governance across industries*(56:10) Disruptiveness of AI and its impact on the workforceEpisode Key TakeawaysGenerative AI’s potential to revolutionize multiple sectors: Harish hammers home the breadth of generative AI's influence. Reinventing customer experiences and enhancing employee productivity, AI's scope of application is radically diverse and impactful. He offers a glimpse into Amazon's responsible AI strategy and how the tech giant is using custom silicon to enhance the price-performance ratio for AI applications. Generative AI democratizes innovation: Jia highlights the power of generative AI in lowering barriers to entry, and 'augmenting' human capabilities. She shares insights from her work in Google Cloud AI and her current endeavors at LiveX AI, particularly how AI is set to impact the myriad aspects of everyday life. The power of AI in streamlining operations: Jeff underscores NASDAQ's strategic use of AI to augment productivity, foster product innovation, and streamline processes. Emphasizing the importance of staff training and robust governance mechanisms, he points out the key role these factors play in safeguarding trust and ensuring responsible implementation of AI.Top Quotes“We think about generative AI in two ways at Nasdaq. One, we think about how we can integrate it in our products. And then the second area is how we can use it on our business. And so, when we think about generative AI in the products, it's how can we change the user experience? How can we change the productivity gains that our customers get out of our products and solutions?” - Jeff Thomas“Right now, given the low barrier to entry for generative AI products. Think of, there is a mom-and-pop shop who are serving their customers and they really want to focus on their business. And in the past, they probably need to spend a lot of time on customer support and sales efforts, et cetera, et cetera. But now, generative AI can actually automate much of this experience so that the repetitive aspects can be reduced and the business owners, or the small team, can serve their customers much better. And it's essentially AI for everyone.” - Jia Li“We are going to see augmentation of productivity and the workforce being more productive thanks to AI. There will be higher value tasks and even higher value than what we are doing today for humans to do and for our AI sort of assistants or co-pilots to kind of help us along the way. So I'm an optimist.” - Harish Surendranath

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Markus Zirn sits down with Carter Busse to discuss the transformative power of automation, AI, and integration in the business landscape. They explore the shift from a traditional mindset to a forward-thinking, growth mindset, essential for harnessing the full potential of automation and AI. Carter underscores the significance of employee happiness and efficient business processes, backed by compelling examples illustrating automation's profound impact on business processes. He also shares insight into the role of AI in automation, and his optimistic vision for the future.Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(02:16) Carter's thoughts on The New Automation Mindset*(05:00) Carter's automation strategy*(07:39) The evolving CIO’s perspective on automation*(10:05) AI’s influence on business processes*(11:59) Real-world automation use cases*(20:00) Challenges with Integration*(21:45) AI's impact on automation at Workato*(26:05) Balancing the human element in tech*(28:42) Solutions for future-proof strategies*(30:22) Carter's insights for the future*(33:10) Today’s TakeawayEpisode Key TakeawaysImportance of a growth mindset: Executives need to break free from limitations imposed by a fixed mindset. In this rapidly evolving environment, it’s critical to pivot and change your thinking from task-based to growth and process-based. Adopt an incremental approach to automation: When you begin adopting automation, start small and control what you can. But embrace a fast-paced, fail-fast approach to show possibilities to other business users. Automation empowers people: Automation is key to helping people do great things. Empowering users with technology tools fosters innovation and enhances overall employee happiness.The value of the people, process, technology framework (PPT): PPT emphasizes prioritizing people and processes over technology when making decisions. Use this framework to navigate your business journey, ensuring a holistic and user-centric approach to technology implementation.Top Quote“People, process, technology is what every CIO thinks about. And it's actually run my team meetings. People, process, technology. We talked about technology last. We talk about the people first, talk about process, and we talk about technology last. That's the way we're always thinking about it here.”

Episode SummaryIn today’s episode, Markus sits down with Mikael Yayon, partner at Ernst & Young, to discuss Mikael's transformative journey of revolutionizing traditional audit processes through cutting-edge automation tools. They explore how Mikael's team leveraged Workato to amplify process efficiency, eliminating manual data collection and promoting direct client interactions. Mikael advocates for team-wide adoption of technology tools like Workato, recognizing the synergy between his team's professional expertise and the tool's functionality. In his final advice, Mikael shares insights on future-proofing processes by embracing new tech advancements, such as generative AI. Timestamps*(00:00) Intro*(01:56) Inside Mikael's day-to-day at EY*(05:31) EY's automation Journey pre-Workato*(10:29) Workato use case at EY*(14:30) How Workato revolutionized client interactions at EY*(20:30) Automation as a market differentiator*(25:20) EY's approach to scaling automation and efficiency with Workato*(30:56) EY's evaluation process for Workato*(35:34) Future of auditing and Audit 3.0Episode Key TakeawaysRevolutionize your business with automation: Elevate your operational efficiency and accuracy by leveraging automation tools like Workato to automate manual tasks seamlessly. This translates into a tangible reduction in labor and time spent on manual data collection.Foster direct client interactions with automation: Opt for technological solutions that facilitate direct client interactions, eliminating the ‘middleman’. You will streamline communication, simplify procedures, and create a more client-friendly process by embracing automation tools.Empower your team with widespread tech adoption: Ensure that your entire team is proficient in the technology tools you employ. Maximize usage, boost efficiency, and empower your team to synergize their expertise with the functionalities of the tools you've integrated.Embrace the tech evolution: Strategically incorporate innovative technologies into your processes for future-proofing. In the age of AI, explore the possibilities of integrating a generative AI layer to amplify your business processes. Lay the groundwork now for the future transformation of your industry or processes.Top Quote“Every company, everyone, needs to transform. We need to make that transformation, to evolve, and to integrate all of the new processes and all of those new technologies that are part of the transformation process. I think also it means trusting your employees. You need to trust them. You need to trust the person you're working with. Sometimes it can be challenging. Changes are always challenging for people, but you need to do that in a way where they feel comfortable. Where they have the appropriate support internally, and they feel comfortable using a tool that they're familiar with. We're all together and the clients definitely see the added value on that."

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Markus Zirn and Pietro Casella, Managing Director and Chief Architect at EQT, emphasize the pivotal role of meticulous data management as the cornerstone for successful automation. Pietro stresses the necessity of treating data as a vital trigger for automation, establishing it as non-negotiable on the journey to success. He advises on the democratization of automation, as a way to break down silos and empower team members for innovation and efficiency. Finally, Pietro shares the importance of challenging traditional practices, urging a reconsideration of these methods in the face of AI's transformative impact.Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(01:42) Pietro's background*(02:50) EQT's digital transformation journey*(05:06) Impact of automation on EQT*(07:25) Alignment EQT's digital leadership and The New Automation Mindset concepts*(15:20) Power of AI as a catalyst for democratization *(18:00) EQT's data-centric approach, Motherbrain and Pietro's thoughts on the future data*(26:15) Killer apps of Generative AI and exploring AI's impact*(35:56) The role of AI in transforming business rules enginesEpisode Key TakeawaysData as an enabler of automation: The foundation of successful automation lies in meticulous data management. Treating data as a crucial trigger for automation is not just a choice—it's an essential element for a successful automation journey.Start every project with a question: Initiate projects with a focused question, aligning efforts to gather essential data. This targeted approach cultivates purposeful action, leading to more streamlined and valuable outcomes.Democratize automation within your IT department: Break down IT silos and empower every team member with a holistic view of systems. Providing the right tools and authority encourages innovation and efficiency, uncovering simpler solutions to the same problems.Reconsider traditional practices with AI: Challenge traditional methods, such as relying on business rules engines, by embracing the transformative power of AI. Reflect on established practices and explore more efficient alternatives to stay ahead in the evolving landscape.Top Quote“There's this other dimension of democratization. I think usually this word is used to describe the process of empowering your employees, the functional people. And I think that's kind of the goal. But, very few people speak about the democratization inside your technology department. And so if you have, let's say the CRM team, and you only allow them to work in the CRM, and they don't know that it's possible to do a lot of magic tricks outside of the CRM, right? They don't know they have permission to touch the database, right? Or to do automation. So they tend to build this spaghetti ball inside your CRM without realizing that if they step outside, it's quite remote controllable. So if you think about Salesforce, when we rolled out to the automation platform and the data platform, we left, we said, 'everybody has the keys to it, everybody can use it inside the technology department.' And that led to people finding much simpler ways from an architecture perspective to solve the same problem.”

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Markus Zirn and Kim Huffman dive into invigorating topics of the power of automation, the transformative potential of AI, and the most effective strategies for enterprise transformation. Drawing from her diverse background at companies like Elastic, Navan, and Workiva, Kim shares valuable insights, emphasizing the evolving role of the CIO as a 'business technology leader.' The discussion delves into the shift towards understanding business processes, moving away from traditional tech-centric approaches. They also explore the relevance of business architecture, with Kim recommending a gradual, progressive implementation approach.Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(02:46) Automation and integration throughout Kim's career*(08:22) Transformation of the traditional CIO*(13:20) Successes and challenges for the new-age CIO*(19:53) Navigating the paradox of increased business systems yet more organizational disconnection*(24:26) Significance of understanding end-to-end business processes*(28:07) Importance of agility in scaling and streamlining processes*(31:07) Business architecture's impact on organizational transformation*(35:33) Generative AI's effect on the role of the CIO*(39:10) Today's TakeawayEpisode Key TakeawaysCIO as a business technology leader: The role of technology leaders is evolving. Whether it's the CIO, Chief Digital Officer, or Chief Transformation Officer, they are now orchestrators within an organization. Beyond tech solutions, they delve into understanding business processes to drive transformation. This shift signifies a move from traditional IT roles to becoming pivotal business enablers.Business architecture as a strategic tool: The development of business architecture is key, focusing on core business processes unique to your company. It serves as the roadmap for identifying process gaps, enhancing efficiency, and recognizing untapped opportunities for business value and growth.Revolutionizing automation with AI: Leveraging AI in automation revolutionizes business processes. Beyond task automation, AI provides supportive assistance in decision-making, augmenting human roles for overall efficiency. Leaders should actively seek ways to integrate these technologies for optimal business performance.Necessity in understanding of end-to-end processes: Understanding end-to-end business processes is crucial for tech professionals. It empowers them to identify efficiency improvements, contribute strategically, and drive innovation. This, coupled with the right technology tools, enables organizations to enhance value, customer experiences, and foster a culture of continuous improvement.Top Quote“At the end of the day, if we all step back and we think about the way that our roles have changed as a result of technology. The concept of a technology organization focused only on technology and a business organization focused only on business is a limiting view. And I think because the technology has come to a point is that the CIO of today or the Chief Digital Officer is uniquely positioned to understand enough about technology, that if they have a real passion for the business change and the business process, it actually isn't an IT function, it's a business function. And it's a business function that is enabled and transforming that business through technology.”

Episode SummaryIn this episode, Markus Zirn and Kerrie Jordan expertly navigate the latest breakthroughs in business automation and AI. Kerrie shares invaluable insights into innovative business solutions, the role of user-friendly tools like Epicor's Automation Studio, and the potential impact of generative AI. Emphasizing the importance of industry-specific solutions, Kerrie reveals the benefits of democratizing access to automation across organizations. Kerrie advises on developing industry-specific AI applications that go beyond generic automation, focusing on delivering tailored solutions that add significant value to each unique industry. Timestamps*(00:00) Episode Start*(02:04) What is Epicor?*(06:13) Automation's impact on manufacturing and common challenges*(09:51) Workato's impact and alternatives in Epicor's Automation Studio*(13:48) Balancing customization and user-friendly integration*(17:01) Evolution of inclusive integration and democratization of automation*(21:08) Importance of automation in the manufacturing *(24:47) Seamless integration and orchestration of end-to-end data processes *(26:31) Consultants' perspectives on new automation possibilities in the Epicor world*(31:06) Generative AI and its impact at Epicor*(40:26) Untapped potential of Generative AI*(44:18) Today's TakeawayEpisode Key TakeawaysThe importance of user-friendly automation tools: In the hustle of today’s business world, having user-friendly automation tools is a game-changer as a company undergoes digital transformation. They simplify tasks, keep operations running smoothly, and supercharge efficiency.The disruptive potential of Generative AI: Generative AI can completely revolutionize the way we work. With endless possibilities, it could lead to substantial increases in productivity across organizations.Tailored automation for your industry: Forget one-size-fits-all automation. It should be about crafting solutions that fit your industry like a glove. We're talking about value-driven solutions created through collaboration with customers—because who knows your industry better than you?Fostering 'citizen integrators' for agile operations: Meet the 'citizen integrator'— Kerrie defines them as anyone in the office, regardless of their role, who can step up and build integrations. It's all about letting everyone pitch in to create automated workflows, making the whole business run smoother and faster.Guest Quote“We've come to call our users citizen integrators. And that's because it's really open to anybody…So, by enabling our citizen integrators, we're enabling the entire organization, the business leaders, not just IT, to be able to build those integrations, to manage the flow of data, to create really strong and compelling competitive advantages that they might not otherwise have had the opportunity to do so. So, when we enable those citizen integrators, those that really have a keen understanding for how data is leveraged across the organization and how, better yet, it could be leveraged. Then, we're really taking our solutions to the next level for these industries.”

Episode SummaryIn today’s episode, Markus sits down with Vishwas Chouhan, Enterprise Architect at Kyndryl, the world’s largest provider of IT infrastructure services. Vishwas unravels key insights for businesses undertaking digital transformations, emphasizing the necessity of a 'growth mindset', encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and a proactive attitude towards change. A critical part of this change, he advises, involves simplifying technology footprints and streamlining processes. You’ll hear as he underscores the power of utilizing low-code platforms such as Workato to create more value and agility while closing the gap between technology and business. Lastly, he emphasizes clear governance to maintain balance, especially when scaling digital transformations.Timestamps*(00:00) Intro*(02:34) Background on Vishwas and Kyndryl*(08:11) What to look for when rebuilding legacy architecture from scratch*(10:54) Leveraging automation to enable your teams to focus on what matters*(14:20) Flipping the tech pyramid to bring more value to your business*(18:26) How to get buy-in from your entire team*(22:10) Why siloes need to be broken down between departments*(24:46) Delivering marketing at the speed of business*(31:07) Changing the mindsets of developers*(37:45) The future combination of business and engineering*(41:07) Democratizing access to automation while still maintaining governance*(42:50) Today's TakeawayEpisode Key TakeawaysInvert the Technological Pyramid: By flipping the traditional pyramid of infrastructure and reducing your tech footprint, Vishwas explains how you can catalyze business transformation and increase the value output.Bring down the walls that silo your teams: Fostering a collaborative mindset focusing on end-to-end processes facilitates better alignment across departments, technology, and business. Low code is a shared language across teams regardless of skill: No-code / low-code platforms enable more stakeholders to work together and democratize development. They foster better communication, and make non-technical folks into engineers, and engineers into business people. Evolve governance as you evolve technology: A proper governance framework is critical in scaling operations while maintaining stability and preventing chaos. Vishwas highlights that your governance does not need to be set in stone and should change alongside your business and technology needs.Top quotes“When I came across Workato, it straight away out of the box fit the bill for me. When I saw that the platform was ready when it came to compliance, security, and was able to provide us observability end to end…that was what I was looking for.”“Technology does not drive by itself. We're not there yet. We can talk about how AI is enabling that for us in the future. But for now, we still have technology and people together as partners. And when you're trying to drive that, you need to look at what the teams are trying to do and does it really help marketeers? As mentioned in the book, you need to always reimagine how can this be done better? So the low code, no code platform becomes a common language for both business and technology to speak because there used to be this constant shake between business and developers.”“When I see a platform like low code, no code, it removes that friction, you can speak the same language. So you’re converting your developers to business and you're converting your business to engineers. And when you can get that aligned, there's no stopping it.”“So my process was evolving and my technology footprint was really broad. And when I started to layer this requirement and start to break this up around people, process and technology…I said that, technology is what needs to give for me, because that will help me reduce the cost. It will also help me simplify. What would it look like if I flip this pyramid where my technology footprint is balanced with proper governance around it? And then you layer all your integrations and automations and you bring value which is right now, at the top, and you're flipping that and you're expanding and you're giving more value to the business.”