AI-LED AUTOMATION IN BUSINESS: THE END OF TRADITIONAL LABOUR-INTENSIVE SERVICES

Human effort has long been the cornerstone of technology services—programmers creating algorithms, analysts managing data, system integrators deploying infrastructure, and consultants optimizing business processes.

- SHARANPREET KAUR

However, the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping this landscape by shifting the focus from human-driven services to AI-led software.

Instead of relying on large teams of human specialists, companies are increasingly adopting AI-powered platforms and tools that automate complex tasks previously thought immune to automation.

The traditional Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model has already disrupted the enterprise IT world by replacing expensive on-premise software with cloud-based applications.

In this model, SaaS providers manage databases remotely, and businesses moved from paying per software seat to paying subscription fees, driving the rise of Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR).

For nearly two decades, SaaS has dominated the tech world.

Now, AI is pushing this paradigm further by transforming services that were once designed for human use into fully autonomous software solutions.

This shift, often called "Services as Software," marks a fundamental change in how enterprises adopt technology.

Unlike traditional SaaS, which complements human workers, these new AI-driven tools replace labor-intensive processes, producing outcomes with minimal human intervention.

AI-powered systems such as Harvey AI in the legal and compliance sectors are now able to analyze case law and generate legal briefs, replacing the work of research assistants.

Similarly, AI chatbots and virtual agents have revolutionized customer support by handling significant volumes of queries without human involvement.

Tools like OpenAI's Code Interpreter have changed the landscape for industries focused on data analysis and business intelligence by automating processes that once required manual data manipulation.

In essence, "Services as Software" eliminates the human-driven process typically associated with SaaS and replaces it with full-stack AI-led automation that delivers the same outcomes.