Agility is key in the digital era, as it allows organizations to adapt to rapid changes in the market, regulations, and customer expectations. Their core systems need to enable that agility, not inhibit it. Unfortunately, for many organizations, ERP systems that serve as the foundation for running a business are among the slowest to change and often require lengthy implementation cycles in response to changing organizational needs.
The advent of Generative AI (GenAI), combined with the rise of low-code and no-code development platforms, presents an opportunity for more rapid ERP transformation by extending capabilities without requiring intense coding and development work.
GenAI is already in use on an enterprise level in use cases such as customer engagement, content creation, analytics, and internal support, but it may provide value to ERP transformation as well. For example, users could provide a natural language prompt that asks their system to make changes based on certain conditions, such as rerouting orders in the case of lead times exceeding forecasts.
GenAI paired with No-Code Development
With the possibility of GenAI building out workflows and reports via natural language prompts, this expands the base of users who can utilize ERP and adapt it to their processes, specifically business users such as supply chain planners, finance managers, or HR leads.
Combine that ability to request GenAI to transform ERP with a no-code platform such as Nextworld, which would allow business users to create applications and workflows without deep technical skills. No-code platforms with GenAI essentially become the user interface for many employees, empowering them to make key changes without significant IT intervention. Beyond the lines of business, it would also allow the technical experts in the back office to make changes faster.
In this scenario, IT will also play a governance role, partnering with the business to ensure AI-generated changes comply with regulations, company policies, and security standards.
Organizations will need to establish these guardrails at a strategic level, providing the policies for data access and controls to prevent conflicting changes, and implement an auditing structure to track the changes in which GenAI plays a role. This means GenAI is not replacing people but rather elevating the role of IT to oversight and stewardship while empowering business users to be problem solvers and innovators.
What This Means for ERP Insiders
- GenAI and No-Code Platforms like Nextworld allow for faster response to change. With the ability to generate new workflows and processes as well as create new customizations and extensions without heavy coding, organizations can be more agile in how they react to shifts in their markets.
- Innovation is distributed between the business and IT. With GenAI and no-code platforms, business users can take a bigger role in shaping software functionality, supported by IT as a governance partner.
- Governance will be a differentiator. Companies that build strong oversight mechanisms will unlock GenAI’s potential without sacrificing compliance or control.
