Visual explainer · Illustrative
Why Inventory Goes Out of Sync
How connected systems end up telling different stories about the same stock.
← Research
Decision framework · Illustrative
Where Should an AI Agent Sit in Your Technology Stack?
A practical way to connect AI to existing systems without losing control of the work.
The short answer
Start with a bounded task and the systems that hold its evidence. Give the AI only the access it needs, define where human approval is required, and measure whether the work actually improves.
See what happens
A bounded task
Approved data and tools
AI proposes a next step
Human approval where required
Action and audit record
A conceptual architecture. An AI agent should not receive broad access merely because the task spans several systems.
Systems involved
Enterprise Resource Planning
ERPThe central system that connects inventory, purchasing, finance and core business records.
View systemOrder Management System
OMSControls how orders are received, routed, allocated and fulfilled across channels.
View systemWorkflow Automation
AUTOMATIONTechnology that automatically moves information or triggers actions between systems using defined rules.
View systemAI Agent
AI that can complete multi-step tasks using tools, systems and business data.
View systemEnterprise Search / Knowledge AI
KNOWLEDGE AITechnology that helps employees find and understand internal knowledge across documents and systems.
View systemCustomer Service AI
SERVICE AIAI used to triage, resolve or assist customer-support interactions.
View systemWhere it breaks
| Design choice | Failure to look for |
|---|---|
| Unclear task boundary | The agent keeps acting without a useful stopping point. |
| Unreliable source data | A convincing answer is built on the wrong record. |
| Broad write permissions | A mistake can change stock, orders or customer commitments. |
| No evaluation | Activity is mistaken for operational value. |
How companies approach it
- Choose one workflow with a visible manual baseline.
- Begin with read-only investigation or drafting.
- Define allowed tools, escalation and approval points.
- Log the evidence, tool calls and outcome.
- Measure time saved alongside error rates and review effort.