March 2024 Predictions vs. 2025 Reality
Way back in March 2024 I wrote an article outlining 10 key AI use cases for COOs and predicted a shift from experimentation to implementation. With over a year (an eternity in AI time) in the rearview mirror I was curious how close I was to reality.
Here’s how those 2024 predictions align with current trends and where reality diverged:
2024 Prediction | 2025 Reality | |
Predictive Maintenance | Widely adopted, with AI now enabling autonomous maintenance decisions via agentic AI (e.g., reducing equipment downtime by 30–40%). | McKinsey |
Demand Forecasting | Enhanced by gen AI’s ability to analyze unstructured data (social sentiment, weather) for hyper-accurate predictions. | McKinsey |
Supply Chain Optimization | AI now orchestrates end-to-end supply chains in real time, breaking silos between procurement, logistics, and production. | EdgeVerve |
Fraud Detection | Expanded to cybersecurity: 55% of COOs now use gen AI for real-time threat detection and automated response. | PYMNTS |
Bonus: Real-Time Market Shifts | Partially realized via AI agents that monitor global data streams, though adoption remains early-stage. | Operations Council |
Strategic Business Proposals | Emerging via multiagent AI systems that simulate scenarios and draft strategies (e.g., $30M revenue gain from AI-managed sales accounts). | McKinsey |
Where Reality Diverged:
- Gen AI Dominance: 2024 focus on “traditional” AI (predictive analytics) underestimated the rapid rise of generative AI and agentic AI (autonomous systems that act on insights).
- Cybersecurity Focus: Gen AI’s role in data security (55% adoption) became a critical COO priority, not just fraud detection.
- Centralized Governance: COOs now lead AI centers of excellence (COEs) to align siloed teams, a trend not anticipated in 2024.
With a pretty good track record lets give it a go for the future and one year from now we can revisit and see how we did.
New Predictions for 2026–2027
Based on 2025 trends and gaps, here’s where AI in operations is headed:
- Autonomous AI Agents Will Begin to Manage End-to-End Processes
- AI “employees” will handle complex workflows (e.g., procurement negotiations, shift turnover handoffs) with minimal human oversight.
- Example: Gen AI agents will resolve supply chain disruptions in real time by rerouting shipments, renegotiating contracts, and adjusting production schedules.
- Ethical AI Governance Becomes a Core COO Responsibility
- COOs will oversee AI ethics frameworks to mitigate risks like bias in hiring algorithms or sustainability gaps in supply chains. This maybe in addition to CAIEO’s (see CAIEO article) responsibilities or taking over their responsibility.
- AI-Driven Upskilling Replaces Traditional Training
- Personalized AI coaches will train teams on new tools/processes in real time, reducing onboarding time by 50%.
- Cybersecurity AI Expands to “Zero Trust” Operations
- Gen AI will autonomously enforce zero-trust policies, isolating threats before they breach systems.
- COO-CIO Collaboration Defines AI ROI
- Success will hinge on tight integration between COOs (process owners) and CIOs (tech enablers), with shared KPIs for AI-driven efficiency gains. New roles such as CAIO will also evolve with AI Legal roles – protecting the data each business creates via its artificial intelligence work.
How did I do?
My 2024 vision of AI streamlining operations has proven accurate, but the tools have evolved even faster than I predicted (See AI Time) .
Gen AI and agentic systems are now rewriting playbooks, with COOs leading enterprise-wide reinvention / applications. The next phase will focus on autonomy (AI agents), ethics, and human-AI symbiosis.
For COOs, I believe the mandate has become clear:
- Partner with CIOs, CAIO, CHRO
- Govern AI centrally – Ensure Data’s use and storage is crystal clear
- Prepare teams for a future where AI isn’t just a tool-it’s a colleague
- Prepare with legal team parameters and acceptable uses of AI within the corporate framework and put guardrails on non-authorized use within enterprise platform.
What do you think? How will COO roles change in 2026 and beyond? What have I missed? Please comment below.
#AIinOperations #COO #GenAI #FutureOfWork #DigitalTransformation
