The AI Shift: From Automation to Agentic Workflows
Ben Williams, PMP, CC, CL
Transforming SMBs with AI | Strategic IT Leadership | CEO Velocity Technology Associates
For the past year, you’ve likely heard the term “Agentic Workflows” more than a few times.? As we move into 2025, businesses are accelerating their AI adoption, shifting from basic automation to more customer-facing AI and more sophisticated, decision-making workflows. According to the State of AI 2025 report by Vellum, in 2024, several key trends have emerged revealing how companies are leveraging AI to enhance efficiency, streamline processes and unlock new opportunities:
1. The Dominance of Document Parsing & Analysis
- Nearly 60% of companies focused on document automation in 2024
I was surprised to see document parsing emerge as such a dominant use case, though in hindsight, it makes perfect sense given the challenges across industries like Oil & Gas and compliance-heavy sectors.? In fact, it was one of the first use cases that we adopted. ??Whether in oil and gas lease management, contract processing, or compliance-heavy industries, companies have been racing to eliminate manual data extraction. For SMBs, AI powered automation is particularly valuable for processing RFPs, extracting key contract details, and automating response tasks.? Tools like ChatGPT custom GPTs, and Zapier and/or Make allow businesses to put it all together – saving hours of manual parsing of documents.
2. Customer Service AI Expands Beyond Simple Chatbots
- 51.4% of companies expanded customer service AI in 2024
?No surprise here. AI-powered customer service has evolved beyond rule-based chatbots. ?In 2025, companies are doubling down on customer-facing AI, with 58.8% prioritizing direct AI interactions. This means businesses will build AI tools that are no longer just reactive but becoming proactive, autonomous agents capable of executing actions —handling complex inquiries, solving problems in real-time, making recommendations, and integrating with back-office processes. ?For SMBs, this means affordable AI solutions can enhance customer support and reduce response times.? ?This presents another opportunity to enhance and streamline their workflows, even without deep technical knowledge.
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3. Natural Language Analytics – Data Insights for Everyone
- 43.8% of companies invested in AI-driven analytics in 2024
?Data-driven decision making has always been a competitive advantage but in 2025, AI is helping make it accessible to everyone.? As someone who has spent the past 20+ years in data acquisition, data integration, and data governance, I’ve seen firsthand how businesses struggle to extract insights from a series of spreadsheets and disconnected systems.? AI tools can translate complex datasets into plain-language insights empowering SMBs to go from “spreadsheet overload” to real-time decision making.
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4. Content Generation AI – More Than Just Writing
- 41.9% of companies leveraged AI for content creation in 2024
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This makes perfect sense.? For many SMBs and colleagues that I have spoken to, generating content for emails, blogs, marketing, was one of the first use cases they employed.? Businesses are using AI to assist with blog posts, marketing copy and documentation; but there is an expected shift in 2025 toward Agentic AI, where AI will generate content and do a lot more.? For instance, multi-agent workflows can:
?Today’s multi-agent AI workflows can:
? Research content ideas
? Generate drafts in your writing style
? Review and refine content
? Automate publishing across platforms
?This means a significant savings of time in content creation for SMBs, while ensuring consistent brand voice and engagement.
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5. Recommendation Systems & Personalization on the Rise
- 25.9% of companies leveraged AI for personalized recommendations
Recommendation systems have expanded well beyond e-commerce. In 2025, they are expected to be applied across healthcare, manufacturing, energy, and enterprise operations.? There are a number of great use cases including:
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·??????? Personalized treatment plans based on patient history
·??????? AI-driven ERP optimizations for supply chain management
·??????? Predictive maintenance for Oil & Gas drilling operations
·??????? Team composition recommendations to maximize project success
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For SMBs, AI-powered recommendations can optimize workflows, resource allocation, and decision-making—providing real-time insights that were once reserved for enterprise-level AI teams
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What’s Next? Agentic AI
If you haven’t heard much about or began looking at Agentic workflows, now is the time to jump on board. The biggest shift in 2025 isn’t just what companies are building—it’s how AI is evolving. Businesses are no longer satisfied with isolated automation; they want AI agents that can take initiative, make decisions, and interact across multiple systems.
?? 58.8% of companies are building more customer-facing AI solutions – AI that moves beyond responding to actively engaging with customers.
?? 55.2% are creating more complex AI-driven workflows – Automation is evolving into autonomy, where AI can handle multi-step processes, reducing human intervention required.
For SMBs, these trends present massive opportunities:
? Faster ROI on AI Investments – SMBs can start small by integrating no-code AI tools like ChatGPT custom GPTs, Zapier, or Make to automate key processes such as document analysis or customer inquiries.
? Competitive Edge – Companies that move beyond chatbots and embrace AI-driven workflows will outperform those stuck in basic automation.
? Human + AI Collaboration – The future isn’t AI replacing workers—it’s AI augmenting teams with real-time decision-making support.
Final Thought: AI Is Becoming an Active Team Member
In 2025, AI is no longer just a tool—it’s a strategic partner. Businesses that embrace agentic AI will scale faster, operate more efficiently, and gain a competitive edge. Businesses are no longer satisfied with isolated automation; they want AI agents that can:
? Take initiative
? Make real-time decisions
? Seamlessly integrate across multiple systems
For SMBs, these trends present massive opportunities:
? Faster ROI on AI Investments – Less costly enterprise AI rollouts. SMBs can leverage affordable AI tools to automate full workflows and see immediate impact.
? Competitive Advantage – Companies that move beyond basic automation will outperform competitors stuck in traditional processes.
? AI + Human Collaboration – AI won’t replace your team—it will enhance productivity, helping teams make faster, smarter decisions.
?Are you ready to make AI a real part of your team?
#AITransformation #BusinessAutomation #FutureOfWork #AIChatbots #DigitalInnovation #TechForSMBs
Free-Range Human I Digital Business Strategist I Wild Adventurer I CBAP(IIBA), CEA, DIPBOK(TOGAF), CAPM(PMI)
3 周Thank you Ben Williams, PMP, CC, CL for sharing these insights. I randomly searched for AI and entrepreneurship, and this article appeared—great read, and I truly appreciate the perspective. I’ll be following your work with strong intent. Your breakdown of Agentic AI in 2025 made me reflect—where does this leave mid-tier professionals in the workspace? AI is rapidly absorbing process-driven jobs, making it crucial for professionals to embrace their unique agency and leverage AI as a strategic partner to build sustainable 1-person digital businesses. AI-driven workflows and automation now allow solopreneurs to operate at the efficiency of a team. It’s no longer about adapting to AI but actively using it to create autonomy, financial independence, and purpose-driven work. The choice is clear: wait for AI to dictate our future or harness it to build our own. The tools are here, the moment is now—those who embrace AI will define the next wave of digital entrepreneurs. Again, thanks for sharing.