Boomi CEO Steve Lucas and SP Singh, Head of Enterprise Apps and Integration Services at Infosys, have had a lot of experience with AI. And they want to share some advice for CXOs tackling AI and agentic transformation.
In a recent fireside chat, they discussed a number of important themes related to AI, starting with the need to build a strong technology foundation. This post summarizes some of the highlights from their conversation.
Integration as Strategic Business Choreography
Both leaders strongly advocate for viewing integration and automation not as mere “plumbing” but as “strategic business choreography.” It’s about unifying data, connecting systems, managing APIs, and orchestrating processes to drive proactive business outcomes and clarity within organizations.
Watch this short video to hear what Lucas and Singh have to say about the role of modern integration in digital transformation:
Integration as the Foundation for AI
Lucas and Singh emphasize that integration is fundamental to the success of AI and agentic solutions. Singh likens it to a Michelin-starred chef needing fresh, high-quality ingredients (data) to create a perfect dish. Real-time, accurate, and timely data in the right format is crucial for AI to produce relevant outputs. Integration is the only way to ensure that relevant data doesn’t remain trapped in isolated silos.
Characterizing integration as the foundation for AI encompasses two additional integration-related themes that support its importance:
Modernizing Integration With AI
AI is transforming the integration experience, particularly for platform modernization efforts. AI-driven discovery helps understand legacy code, processes, and integration patterns. On the forward engineering side, automation of configuration capabilities, as seen in Boomi Agentstudio, significantly accelerates development and deployment cycles.
Shifting From Integration as Code to Integration as Cognition
Lucas predicts a fundamental shift where integration moves from deterministic “if-then-else” logic (integration as code) to “cognition.” AI agents, deployed within workflows, can handle unexpected events by dynamically finding solutions (For example, finding a new shipper when the primary one is unavailable). The transition from “integration as code” to “integration as cognition” represents a significant evolution in how organizations approach integration processes. The shift emphasizes a more intelligent, adaptive, and user-centric approach to integration.
The Importance of High-Quality Data
Data quality is repeatedly highlighted as critical. Lucas uses the metaphor of “oxygen” for high-quality, real-time data for AI, stating that AI will not thrive without it. Singh reinforces this, noting that if data is not good, AI-driven decisions will go “awry.” This is similar to a comment Lucas made in his book, Digital Impact, about agents getting into “mischief.”
AI-First Transformation
Infosys has evolved from “digital first” to “cloud first” and is now an “AI-first organization.” This means every Infosys solution and proposal considers AI from the outset, focusing on AI for developer productivity, process efficiency, and end-user productivity across all service offerings. Singh also cautions that an AI-first organization must have its data house in order.
The next two themes are closely related.
Taking AI From POC to Production
A key focus for CIOs and CXOs is moving AI initiatives from proof of concept (POC) to production with real impact. To help organizations achieve this, Infosys contributes expertise, governance, frameworks, and operational scale.
CXO Focus for AI Adoption
Singh outlines several key recommendations for enterprises to become AI-ready:
- Develop a comprehensive tech strategy to assess AI readiness and validate high-impact AI business cases with clear ROI.
- Establish a strong governance framework for monitoring, governing, and regulating AI use.
- Upskill and retool the workforce to be AI-aware and AI-ready, fostering a significant culture change.
- Prepare the data infrastructure for AI, ensuring high-quality, real-time, structured, and unstructured data, with safeguards for security, privacy, and regulations.
- Nurture a culture of tech-powered innovation.
- Start with high-impact projects, measure results, and scale what works.
Self-Healing Processes and Intent-Driven Integration
Singh is particularly excited about the potential for self-healing processes in the integration layer, where AI can automatically detect, diagnose, and resolve data-related errors like validation failures and inconsistencies. He also highlights “intent-driven integration,” where agents can dynamically pull required data in real time based on need rather than relying on pre-written software or mappings.
The ROI of Modern Integration
Ultimately, any technology initiative succeeds or fails based on its ROI. Nevertheless, measuring ROI from modern integration extends beyond traditional cost savings. Key metrics include:
- Agility and Innovation: For example, enabling dynamic route optimization for logistics or personalized financial advice for banking clients.
- Revenue Growth: Through faster time to market, quicker deployment, personalization, customer retention, and upsell opportunities.
- Enhanced Competitiveness: By handling high volumes of structured and unstructured data for predictive maintenance or significantly reducing customer service costs.
- Cost Savings: Replacing legacy systems with cloud-based platforms reduces hardware and maintenance costs.
The Boomi-Infosys Partnership
The collaboration between Boomi and Infosys is described as strategic and potent. Infosys provides the “pit crew” and “race plan” for AI strategies, while Boomi delivers the “fuel and oxygen” (the platform for high-quality data). Their combined solution, the Infosys Application Modernization Platform for migrating anything to Boomi, leverages Boomi AI and Infosys’s application modernization platform to drive 75% efficiency in implementation timeframes, enabling faster re-platforming and modernizing legacy middleware.
Watch the full conversation between Boomi CEO Steve Lucas and Infosys Head of Enterprise Apps and Integration Services SP Singh here.