Beyond chatbots, South Africa’s 4Sight sees AI running business processes

4Sight Holdings, a South African technology group listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is shifting its focus from chatbots to incorporating AI into business processes. The company's new leadership structure, including Clark Fourie as CIO, Jeandré du Randt as chief business environment officer, and Essich Wassenaar as group frontier operations officer, aims to turn its proprietary 4Sight Automated Intelligence (4AI) platform into a broader engine for automating workflows.

CEO Tertius Zitzke emphasizes that AI should be viewed as a technology that can design, execute, and optimize business processes, rather than a software layer. The four pillars of their AI transformation are data, process, training, and change. 4Sight believes AI can lead to significant efficiency gains by extracting useful information from traditional paperwork, such as identifying anomalies in utility bills.

The company expects AI to impact most jobs, but not eliminate them, with the International Labour Organization estimating that one in four jobs globally is potentially exposed to generative AI. 4Sight is working on reducing costs by 10% while retaining jobs and automating invoice processing, which could reduce the need for accounts payable staff.

The company is also focused on integrating AI across technology, data, cybersecurity, operations, and business environments. Zitzke emphasizes the importance of coaching employees to work with AI agents and adapt to redesigned processes, as AI is set to move beyond assisting employees to operate on their behalf. The ultimate goal is to have AI systems, or "digital twins," continuously carrying out tasks while humans retain oversight.

This transformation requires businesses to let machines handle processes while people remain responsible for outcomes.