TLDR: A new global report by GBTEC highlights a critical disparity in Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) organizations: while 78% plan major AI and automation initiatives, fewer than 20% possess the necessary operational foundation for success. The “2025 Process Excellence and AI-Readiness Report” identifies process excellence, including robust process management and enterprise architecture alignment, as the missing link for effective AI integration and sustainable digital transformation.
Despite substantial investments and ambitious plans for artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, organizations across Australia and New Zealand (ANZ) are facing a significant readiness gap, according to a new global research report from GBTEC. The “2025 Process Excellence and AI-Readiness Report,” which draws insights from 600 senior business and operations leaders across ANZ, Europe, and North America, reveals that while a striking 78% of organizations intend to launch major AI and automation initiatives within the next two years, fewer than 20% currently possess the foundational operational maturity required to succeed.
The landmark study underscores the critical role of “process excellence” as the missing key to unlocking successful business transformation powered by these advanced technologies. Less than 20% of organizations have achieved the highest level of process maturity, characterized as “AI-powered,” which involves proactive process management, collaborative AI, and seamless human-machine interaction.
Scott Leddy, Vice President, North America, GBTEC, commented on the findings, stating, “More and more companies are buying into the concept of process-based transformation – understanding their current state before they start to transform. But many organizations overlook their processes and are surprised when automation and AI projects don’t deliver the expected results.”
The report identifies six pivotal factors essential for achieving process excellence and AI readiness: Process maturity, Process governance, Enterprise architecture alignment, Integrated governance, risk, and compliance, Automation readiness, AI enablement.
Among these, the alignment of processes with enterprise architecture is highlighted as particularly crucial. An overwhelming 83% of business and operations leaders agree that enterprise architecture without clear process alignment is “just expensive guesswork.” Furthermore, 85% believe that transformation efforts are doomed to fail without comprehensive, end-to-end process visibility.
The research also sheds light on the ambitious AI integration plans of organizations. Over the next two years, 61% of leaders plan to integrate “agentic AI” – self-directed, task-aware AI agents – into their operations, with 32% aiming for deployment across entire end-to-end processes. However, a significant hurdle remains: less than half of these organizations currently have processes mature enough to support such seamless AI integration.
Alexander Trail, Senior Account Executive, Northern Europe, GBTEC, emphasized the necessity of a structured approach: “Automation programs that aren’t aligned to process management are essentially flying blind. Leaders can only achieve the efficiencies AI promises if their processes are fully documented, visible, and strategically governed.”
Also Read:
- Ataccama Report Uncovers Critical Data Quality and Governance Gaps Hindering AI and Compliance
- Over 90% of Software Leaders Prioritize Custom AI Agent Integration, New Report Reveals
This report is the inaugural installment in GBTEC’s global series on process excellence and AI readiness, providing valuable insights for organizations striving for sustainable transformation and maximum value from their automation and AI investments. GBTEC Group is a leading provider of SaaS software in Business Process Management (BPM), Enterprise Architecture Management (EAM), Digital Process Automation (DPA), and Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC), with a global presence including Australia.
