The Business Impact of AI Reaching Human Parity

At AgentForce Chicago this week, seeing Salesforce’s new Agentforce 2.0 integration with Slack in action crystallized something we’ve been discussing about business process transformation. The timing couldn’t have been better, as this practical demonstration perfectly aligned with compelling new research from Harvard Business Review. In their January-February 2025 article, “The Secret to Successful AI-Driven Process Redesign,” Wilson and Daugherty argue that AI isn’t just automating tasks anymore—it’s fundamentally reshaping how work gets done.

This insight also connects deeply with Allie K Miller’s thought-provoking presentation earlier this fall about AI technologies reaching human-level performance. Over time, we’ve seen these milestones unfold in waves—from handwriting recognition in 2011 to code generation projected for 2025. Each milestone represents a turning point, forcing us to rethink business processes from the ground up.

The Kaizen Connection

Wilson and Daugherty draw a fascinating parallel between today’s AI transformation and Toyota’s revolutionary Kaizen system. Just as Toyota pursued “incremental but relentless improvement” instead of risky, large-scale changes, successful AI adoption requires a thoughtful, step-by-step approach.

Beyond Simple Automation

The Slack demo at AgentForce underscored a critical point Wilson and Daugherty emphasize: We’re moving from simple task automation to what they call “Kaizen 2.0.” In this phase, AI empowers employees at every level to contribute to business transformation.

At Copado, we’ve seen this firsthand with our Slack integrations in the DevOps space. It’s clear that AI isn’t about replacing people—it’s about helping them do their best work.

Rethinking Process Design

As we approach 2025, here are three key steps for organizations looking to reimagine their processes:

1. Start with Human Needs The best AI systems enhance human workflows rather than disrupt them. Slack’s integration showed how AI can fit seamlessly into existing communication patterns.

2. Enable Continuous Learning Like Kaizen, AI systems should be designed for constant improvement. Feedback loops between people and technology create smarter processes over time.

3. Focus on Augmentation Instead of automating everything, focus on where AI can best enhance human capabilities. This balance is where true innovation happens.

A New Era of Process Improvement

AgentForce Chicago demonstrated that we’re not just automating tasks—we’re reimagining how work gets done. The future is about collaboration between AI and humans, building systems that are adaptable, resilient, and human-centered.

What about you? How is your organization using AI to redesign processes and empower your teams? Let’s discuss in the comments!

Reference: Wilson, H. J., & Daugherty, P. R. (2025). The Secret to Successful AI-Driven Process Redesign. Harvard Business Review, January-February 2025.