Scaling Up Intelligent Automation: Insights for the Digital Enterprise

This research whitepaper from Everest Group, sponsored by Cognizant, dives deep into how organizations can move beyond pilot projects to successfully scale intelligent automation (IA) across their entire enterprise. It highlights that while many businesses have dabbled in automation, achieving widespread, transformative impact remains a significant challenge. The study, based on a survey of 50 global companies with over two years of automation experience, contrasts “mature adopters” with “typical enterprises” to reveal the strategies that drive superior business outcomes.

The paper emphasizes that moving to IA at scale means embedding automation into an organization’s very DNA, transforming operations and reimagining business processes to achieve benefits beyond mere cost savings. Findings indicate a strong link between maturity in IA and financial gains: nearly four out of ten mature enterprises (specifically 38%) reported generating more than $50 million in savings directly attributable to intelligent automation. These advanced organizations are also significantly more likely to invest in cutting-edge technologies like process mining, with over half (50%+) of mature enterprises having adopted it. Critical success factors include robust executive sponsorship, a strategic shift in funding from central to shared or business-led models, proactive talent and change management, and leveraging holistic performance metrics. The insights shared offer a clear roadmap for executives looking to accelerate their digital transformation journey and unlock the full potential of intelligent automation.

Key Takeaways

IA Drives Major ROI: Scaling intelligent automation leads to substantial financial gains, with nearly four out of ten mature enterprises reporting over $50 million in savings, demonstrating IA’s powerful ROI.

Invest Strategically & Develop Talent: Success in IA involves adopting advanced technologies like process mining (used by over 50% of mature firms), securing strong executive backing, evolving funding models, and actively managing talent development.

Overcome Barriers with Best Practices: Common challenges to scaling, such as compliance issues (68%), resource scarcity (65%), and change management hurdles (62%), are effectively addressed by mature adopters through structured strategies and proactive communication.

You can access the full whitepaper here: Scaling Up Intelligent Automation by Everest Group & Cognizant.