ABPMP Philadelphia Chapter
Beyond Chatbots: AI Agents and the Future of Business Process Management
This session traces how intelligent process automation evolved from expert systems and early chatbots to large language models and AI agents that can pursue goals, make decisions, and coordinate multi-step work, using live demos of a rule-based expert system, an ELIZA-style chatbot, and Microsoft Copilot agents.
Attendees will learn to tell deterministic automation apart from agentic AI, spot processes where agents add value, and weigh key risks around governance, reliability, privacy, and human oversight.
Cory Creen is a Master Black Belt in Quality and Continuous Improvement at East Penn Manufacturing and a graduate of Harrisburg University's Master of Science in Analytics program.
Cory helps organizations improve processes, make better decisions, and build data-informed cultures through analytics, governance, and continuous improvement.
He has presented at professional conferences on topics ranging from artificial intelligence and data science to quality management and digital transformation. As an educator, practitioner, and mentor, he is passionate about helping professionals connect process knowledge with analytical thinking to drive sustainable business results.
Session Abstract
Beyond Chatbots: AI Agents and the Future of Business Process Management
Business process professionals have spent decades improving processes through standardization, workflow design, business rules, and automation. Today's AI agents introduce a new capability: systems that can pursue goals, make decisions, use tools, and coordinate multiple work steps with limited human intervention.
This presentation traces the evolution of intelligent process automation from expert systems and early chatbots to modern large language models and AI agents. Through live demonstrations of a rule-based travel request expert system, an ELIZA-style chatbot, and Microsoft Copilot agents, attendees will gain a practical understanding of how these technologies work and where they fit within the BPM landscape. The session draws directly on the progression outlined in the presentation, from expert systems and chatbots through GPT-based assistants to autonomous AI agents.
Participants will learn to distinguish between deterministic automation and agentic AI, identify process opportunities where agents can add value, and understand key risks around governance, reliability, privacy, and human oversight. Whether you are a process owner, analyst, architect, or transformation leader, this session will provide a balanced and practical perspective on one of today's most discussed technologies.