‘Slay the dragon’: Appian says process orchestration is the fix enterprise AI keeps skipping

The enthusiasm for enterprise AI is outpacing strategic thinking — and process automation, not more AI tools, is the fix most organizations might be missing.

The wall that most enterprises face is an overabundance of unmanaged “white space”, not a lack of AI tools, according to Marc Wilson (pictured), co-founder and chief executive ambassador at Appian Corp. The disconnected handoffs between departments, people and systems are breaking down mission-critical processes, and applying AI to individual productivity or departmental workflows won’t resolve that fragmentation. Instead, the answer lies in end-to-end process orchestration.

“The thing that has developed … in the last 30 years has been the massive, massive growth in white space that exists between different departments, different people within departments and different organizations. That, fundamentally, is the problem that almost every organization faces when they look at ways that they can improve the efficiency and effectiveness of what they do,” Wilson said. “That dragon needs to be slain.”

Wilson spoke with theCUBE’s Dave Vellante and Alison Kosik at Appian World 2026, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how process automation is the missing strategic layer beneath most enterprise AI initiatives and why AI alone can’t close the organizational separations driving inefficiency. (* Disclosure below.)

Process automation unlocks AI revenue

Two Appian customer examples illustrate how process automation drives measurable business outcomes, according to Wilson. A large Asia-Pacific insurer used Appian’s document processing capabilities to streamline broker and underwriting workflows, improving customer onboarding speed and generating tens of millions of dollars. In healthcare, a hospital system eliminated the need for registered nurses at administrative check-in stations, redeploying clinical staff to patient care by automating document intake and process routing at the front door.

“People are obviously focused on cost reduction capabilities, but revenue acclimation — being able to get more revenue out of what you’re working on by doing things faster — is an under-appreciated aspect of what AI can and should do,” Wilson said. “All of these are the kinds of conversations that we’re having today.”

But the current AI cycle carries the same warning signs as previous technology waves such as cloud, with each promising to solve everything and producing tactical wins without strategic transformation instead, Wilson noted. The difference now is that pressure is coming from both directions simultaneously, with frontline employees demanding more capable tools and C-suite leaders mandating efficiency and revenue gains. For Appian, that convergence creates an opening to deliver the orchestration layer that ties end-to-end processes together.

“We’re entering a phase where there are much higher expectations of technology,” Wilson continued. “Vendors like Appian are going to be expected to deliver this kind of strategic value to customers.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of Appian World 2026:

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for Appian World. Neither Appian, the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Photo: SiliconANGLE