TechnologyAppianPrint articleLuke ThomasDec 10, 2025 – 9.37amSaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? LoginThis Industry Insight is commercial content produced in partnership with Appian.Australian organisations are embracing AI at a rapid pace and are actively participating in a global shift towards AI-driven innovation. However, despite the widespread interest, many private-sector and government organisations are facing challenges in implementing AI effectively.Organisations should look at their processes, not technology, first and identify any areas that are causing problems, bottlenecks and delays. iStockA major MIT study recently found that 95 per cent of generative AI pilots fail to deliver meaningful ROI or scale effectively.And although the AI market in Australia is projected to reach a value of AU$9.41 billion by the end of the year, the majority of local organisations remain stuck in pilot purgatory due to poor integration, misaligned use cases and process friction.Recent research Appian conducted in the healthcare sector reflects the current AI challenge in Australia. While 60 per cent of healthcare organisations are piloting the technology or running small-scale trials, only 12 per cent of organisations have fully deployed AI in multiple care or administrative functions.AdvertisementStop adding AI to broken workflowsWhat organisational leaders in Australia need to understand is that AI implementation challenges are not due to problems with the technology itself, rather it’s the way organisations are implementing it. Too many businesses treat AI like a plug-in or a marketing accessory, dropping new tools into outdated systems and expecting unrealistic outcomes. This results in more organisational complexity, disappointed staff and very little measurable improvement.AI doesn’t fail because the models aren’t powerful enough. It fails because the underlying processes remain fragmented. When processes are built on disconnected data, legacy systems and manual handoffs, no algorithm can create order and process efficiency.The real value lies behind the scenesToo many organisations start with the technology rather than the objective. They decide they need an AI strategy before they’ve defined the problems they’re trying to solve. The most successful companies take a different approach and start with the outcomes they want, identify where the process friction exists, and then determine how AI can help them achieve those goals.Additionally, while many companies are still focused on surface-level applications such as chatbots, the real transformation is happening behind the scenes. The biggest returns come from using AI to fix the unglamorous, back-office work that keeps organisations running like document processing, claims management, onboarding and reconciliation.Embed AI where work actually happensAustralian organisations need to integrate AI where the work actually gets done. Every organisation runs on processes. They determine how to serve customers, manage risk and spend money. Processes cut across departments, systems and stakeholders, shaping everything from supply-chain resilience to compliance to customer satisfaction.Appian’s Luke Thomas. Traditionally, these processes relied on human judgement and rules-based automation. AI has introduced a new kind of “digital worker” who can be flexible, adaptive and understand unstructured information at scale.When an organisation’s perspective shifts to focus on the overall organisational value, it is crucial to look at strategically important processes that AI can impact. That’s why Appian encourages organisations to look at their processes, not technology, first and identify any areas that are causing problems, bottlenecks and delays. They can then assess where adding AI to the process will help to make improvements.Turning AI strategy into measurable resultsSome Australian organisations are integrating AI directly into processes with success today, ensuring automation, data and people work together seamlessly to achieve scalable outcomes. Asia Pacific’s leading insurance and risk legal business, Wotton Kearney, is overhauling its core operations, replacing legacy systems with the Appian Platform to deliver advanced client reporting, streamlined matter management and substantial efficiency gains. Currently, the firm’s client reporting and matter tracking rely on manual, time-intensive processes that demand significant resources. The new AI-enabled system is projected to save thousands of lawyer hours each year, enabling teams to focus on higher-value, client-facing work.From potential to real returnsThe real value of AI won’t be realised in driving personal productivity. The biggest gains will be made when AI is deployed inside your processes, working alongside and creating space for human talent to do what only humans can: innovate, problem-solve and build stronger relationships with customers.Luke Thomas is vice president Asia Pacific and Japan, Appian.Sponsored by AppianThis content has been funded by an advertiser and written by the Nine commercial editorial team.SaveLog in or Subscribe to save articleShareCopy linkCopiedEmailLinkedInTwitterFacebookCopy linkCopiedShare via...Gift this articleSubscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? 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