AI and Automation Isn’t Binary: Understanding the Real Journey to Maturity

AI and Automation Isn’t Binary: Understanding the Real Journey to Maturity

AI and Automation maturity isn’t about flipping a switch, it’s a strategic journey. For Australian businesses, understanding where you are on this spectrum can unlock new levels of efficiency, cost savings, and competitive advantage.

Why Automation Maturity Matters for Australian Businesses

Many business owners see automation as a simple yes-or-no decision. In reality, it’s a progression through clear stages, each offering unique benefits. Knowing your current level helps you plan smarter investments, avoid common pitfalls, and maximise your return on technology.

The Six Levels of Automation Maturity

• Level 0: Manual-Only Operations
  All tasks are performed by hand. For example, staff receive orders via email, manually enter them into spreadsheets, and type up purchase orders. This approach is labour-intensive, slow, and prone to errors.
• Level 1: Assisted Intelligence (Prompt-Based AI Use)
  Teams use AI tools like Copilot or ChatGPT to draft emails or pricing summaries, but still manually update systems and send orders. Productivity improves, but integration is limited.
• Level 2: Basic Workflow Automation (No AI)
  Rule-based workflows automate repetitive tasks. For instance, automation detects new order forms and creates draft purchase orders using templates. This reduces manual effort but lacks decision-making intelligence.
• Level 3: Smart Automation (AI + Workflow)
  AI is integrated into workflows. AI reads customer orders, extracts details, and drafts supplier POs for staff to review. This blend of AI and human oversight boosts accuracy and speed.
• Level 4: Automated Operations
  Automation is used across business operations. For example, stock levels are tracked automatically, and standard POs are prepared when inventory is low. Staff are only notified for exceptions, like price changes or large orders.
• Level 5: Predictive Autonomous Operations with Human-in-the-Loop Oversight
  AI drives end-to-end processes, using predictive analytics to anticipate needs and make proactive decisions. Humans oversee critical exceptions, ensuring strategic alignment and ethical standards.

Key Benefits of Advancing Automation Maturity

• Efficiency Gains: Each level reduces manual labour, speeds up processes, and minimises errors.
• Better Decision-Making: AI enables data-driven, predictive decisions rather than reactive responses.
• Scalability: Higher maturity supports growth without a proportional increase in headcount.
• Cost Savings: Automation can cut operational costs by up to 40% (McKinsey, 2023).
• Human Oversight: Even at the highest levels, humans remain in the loop for critical decisions and exceptions.

Real-World Example: Recruitment Automation Journey

A mid-sized recruitment consultant moved from Level 0 (Manual Processes) to Level 3 (AI + Workflow) by implementing automated invoice management, Ad drafting, billing and CRM data entry workflows.

The impact? The recruiter saved 1 FTE in administrative tasks and used that time to deliver a more personalised experience to both clients and candidates resulting in faster placements, stronger relationships, and increased client satisfaction.

Real-World Example: Childcare Shift Coverage Automation

A national childcare provider moved from Level 0 (Siloed Data, Manual Checks) to Level 3 (AI + Workflow) by integrating their booking system with their staff rostering tool using Microsoft Power Platform and an Azure Machine Learning Model.

This automation checked daily bookings against staff availability, predicted shortfalls in shift coverage, and triggered alerts when ratios weren’t met. This ensured compliance, improved care quality, and reduced last-minute rostering issues allowing centre managers to focus on supporting educators and families instead of managing spreadsheets.

For more on automation maturity and industry trends, see McKinsey’s report and Deloitte’s automation insights.

Conclusion: Take the Next Step on Your Automation Journey

Automation maturity is a journey, not a destination. Not every organisation needs to (or should) reach Level 5 and trying to leap from 0 to 5 overnight is often a recipe for failure. A phased, practical approach that delivers early wins and builds capability over time tends to work best. By understanding your current level and planning your next steps, you can unlock new efficiencies, reduce costs, and empower your team to focus on what matters most. Start by assessing your processes and identifying where automation can deliver the biggest impact.

How Inturing Can Help

At Inturing, we believe automation maturity is about more than just technology, it’s about strategy, people, and process. We help Australian businesses assess their current state, design a roadmap, and implement solutions that deliver real ROI. Our expertise in lead qualification ensures you’re not just automating, but optimising for growth and customer experience.

🧪 Take our Maturity Assessment

Ready to integrate AI agents and smart automation into your business? Inturing can help you streamline operations, qualify leads faster, and boost efficiency so you can focus on what matters most.