Artificial intelligence is opening exciting new frontiers in how businesses connect, integrate, and exchange information. Beyond automating existing processes, AI is poised to amplify all aspects of B2B integration, reducing the tedium of mundane tasks and allowing employees to focus on more exciting, strategic work.
The question isn’t whether AI will replace traditional B2B methods, but rather how organizations can leverage AI to maximize benefits – while thoughtfully addressing the potential challenges.
Before discussing where AI and B2B integration intersect, it’s important to understand the type of GenAI powering these opportunities: large language models (LLMs).
The rise and evolution of LLMs
There’s no shortage of flavors when it comes to LLMs, that subset of GenAI that provides human-like interaction. Alongside the basic conversational models like ChatGPT and Claude, there are multimodal models that go beyond text as well as domain-specific models, where industries like healthcare, legal, and finance lead the pack.
LLMs are the foundation of AI assistants—innovative tools that support one’s workload via direct interaction, thanks to Natural Language Processing (NLP).
They are also the means of engaging with agentic AI. AI agents are goal-driven, autonomous systems that can adapt and learn without human intervention. (Think advanced robots performing surgery, or self-driving cars.)
LLMs will even serve as the foundation for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)… are we there yet?
LLMs are evolving at a dizzying pace:
- New models are being introduced monthly (if not sooner) and are readily accessible to the general population.
- Interactions are growing richer and more creative, as LLMs can generate and process images, audio, and video.
- Models are getting better at understanding nuance, allowing for more complex task-solving and analysis.
- Techniques like retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) and fine-tuning for specific domains are improving performance.
Where AI/LLMs & B2B integration intersect
When talking about AI in B2B integration, we can think about it from two intersecting angles: people and operations. Collectively, the goal is to unlock tangible value across the entire enterprise.
Let’s talk people first. Within the context of working with a B2B integration solution, AI can deliver:
- Process efficiency: Simplify complex tasks and eliminate time-consuming activities, like summarizing meeting notes and multi-page reports, or facilitating knowledge sharing during new employee onboarding.
- Improved usability: Propose new UX/UI capabilities, help develop smarter, more intuitive interfaces, and use multiple techniques to improve accessibility.
- Personalized engagements: Adapt internal employee and external customer or partner experiences into more bespoke interactions (for instance, helping sales and/or support teams engage with clients in a more effective, personalized way).
From a B2B operational perspective, AI can support:
- Resource optimization: Help IT teams explore ways to use existing resources more effectively and even make platform and workflow recommendations to reduce infrastructure cost.
- Increased security: Analyze data patterns or activities that humans might otherwise miss, minimizing the risk of threats or data breaches.
- Process automation: Streamline activities like invoice processing or customer intake forms, freeing up teams to focus on revenue-generating activities.
See also: The need for B2B modernization is becoming critical
An example of AI providing a competitive B2B edge
AI in B2B integration enables businesses to differentiate themselves. The key is to align pain points with AI-driven improvements to enhance customer experience at the user level and to drive a better experience for the customer at the company level, with the end result fueling revenue-based results.
Take partner onboarding as an example. One of the most time-consuming requirements of new partner onboarding is data mapping. Using AI to build map structures and flag inconsistencies can streamline this process, get you to an error-free map more quickly, and get the partner onboarded that much sooner.
The net result: you’ve improved overall productivity and increased time to revenue.
AI can also help automate time-sensitive tasks like data collection and credential setup during the onboarding process.
Friendly AI assistants can free personnel from redundant, mundane tasks so they can focus on more value-driven activities with partners.
See also: 6 ways to thrive in the new age of B2B transformation
Keeping B2B data security top of mind
AI in B2B is relatively new and thus comes with its fair share of challenges, and security is at the top of that list. Building solid practices around data security are critical to maintaining customer trust and ensuring compliance.
B2B data security is multi-layered. It’s a matter of:
- Data quality: Can you trust where data came from and its output—to the degree that you’re willing to put it into your product?
- Data privacy: Do you have safeguards to prevent proprietary data from getting out there?
- Data protection: Are there measures in place to prevent the exposure of sensitive data through shared keys, algorithms, and other means?
The reality is that while a majority of companies are using AI, only a fraction have established policies around its use. For robust B2B data security with LLM use, companies need to establish data handling and governance policies as well as educate their employees.
At the end of the day, it’s a mixture of policies, technology, and people that yield those results around trust and compliance, which then lead to true competitive advantage.
How Axway is leveraging AI in B2B integration
With all this talk around AI in B2B integration, we’re eager to share what’s already taking shape at Axway. Here are a few exciting AI-powered capabilities we’re working on right now:
- B2Bi mapping assistant: Based on a predefined document structure, using a chat-based AI assistant to help create new maps or even modify existing ones.
- B2Bi configuration assistant: A chatbot that can serve up B2Bi configuration options to help customers achieve specific system goals.
- Operations AI chatbots and agents: AI-powered tools to troubleshoot issues that occur and if necessary, proactively open up support cases and even drive resolution.
With teams dedicated to the research and development around these AI initiatives, Axway is helping to shape the future of B2B integration for the better.
Learn how to capture the value of trends shaping the future of B2B.