In just a few years, automation has gone from being a technological tool to a strategic imperative. And 2025–2026 could well mark a turning point. Between the rise of artificial intelligence, the explosion of low-code/no-code platforms and the growing integration of IoT into industrial processes, businesses are experiencing unprecedented acceleration.
Behind this silent revolution lies a central challenge: remaining competitive in an increasingly tense economic environment.
A booming market, a sign of irreversible transition
The indicators are clear: the global automation market is expected to reach nearly $214 billion by 2026. This rapid growth reflects a paradigm shift: digitalisation is no longer an option. It is becoming the backbone of modern business strategy.
Cloud, AI, robotic process automation, predictive analytics… By 2025, most organisations will have adopted a digital-first approach, driven by the need to optimise costs, increase responsiveness and strengthen resilience.
But behind this technological momentum lies a simple reality: companies no longer have a choice. Talent shortages, inflationary pressure, geopolitical instability… Levers for efficiency must be found elsewhere. And automation is now one of the most powerful.
The rise of intelligent automation
Long seen as a tool for optimising repetitive tasks, RPA (Robotic Process Automation) is now evolving into a more advanced form: hyperautomation. Here, AI and machine learning enhance workflows to automate not only execution, but also decision-making.
The impact is tangible.
According to several studies, the integration of AI and big data enables:
a 42% reduction in process processing time,
an estimated 28% improvement in resource utilisation,
a reduction in operating costs of nearly 35%.
These figures explain the market boom, but above all the growing interest of medium-sized companies, which are aware that such performance gains can make the difference between stability and growth.
In industry, this change is reflected in the rise of smart factories: connected sensors, collaborative robots, predictive maintenance. In services, the transformation is affecting entire departments: HR, finance, customer relations, logistics. Automation is moving from the periphery to the heart of the business.
Ever more powerful tools for digital transformation
The main reason automation is progressing so rapidly is that companies now have access to a much richer and more coherent range of technological tools than they did a few years ago. Solutions are multiplying, complementing each other and integrating better and better: advanced artificial intelligence, unified management platforms, business automation suites, real-time monitoring solutions, predictive analytics systems, new-generation collaborative tools… The digital ecosystem has never been so dense or so accessible.
This evolution is changing everything. Whereas organisations once had to accumulate heterogeneous software, often difficult to connect and costly to maintain, they can now rely on much more integrated environments. Tools communicate with each other, share data, synchronise workflows and enable complex operations to be managed without adding layers of technical complexity.
For SMEs and large organisations alike, this is a major opportunity: modernising their internal processes no longer requires mammoth projects. Companies can add new functional building blocks, strengthen a service, automate a task or deploy an analytical module without having to rebuild their entire information system.
In other words, digital transformation is no longer a huge undertaking, but a set of concrete, progressive and now well-equipped levers. This technological complementarity, which will become the norm in 2025, offers unmatched flexibility that allows organisations to evolve much faster, with a significantly higher level of control and security.
A transformation that encompasses the entire company
In 2025–2026, automation will no longer be confined to factories or IT departments. It will permeate the entire organisation: from the supply chain to administrative management, customer support and finance.
In industry: the era of smart factories
Industrial companies are accelerating their transition to Industry 4.0, or even 5.0. The goal is to increase flexibility, anticipate breakdowns and optimise energy consumption.
The results are tangible: less waste, greater machine availability and increased responsiveness.
In the service sector: work is being reinvented
Administrative departments, often overwhelmed by repetitive tasks, are embracing automation to save time and reduce errors.
Customer relations are being enhanced with contextual chatbots capable of understanding intentions.
HR teams are automating onboarding, skills tracking and document management.
Far from replacing humans, this automation is redistributing roles: less execution, more analysis, more strategic thinking.
Rapid and measurable benefits
Companies that have already taken the plunge are unanimous: automation produces rapid results.
- 36.6% of organisations report having reduced their costs by at least 25%.
- 48.6% have seen a significant improvement in their operational efficiency.
These gains explain why automation is no longer just a tool for optimisation, but a direct driver of growth, particularly for SMEs. AI and automated tools are becoming a means of compensating for staff shortages, increasing productivity without compromising quality, and improving profitability.
A project still fraught with obstacles
While companies are accelerating their efforts, they are not doing so without difficulties. Three main challenges stand in the way of transformation.
1 . Data structure, the Achilles heel of many organisations
Intelligent automation is only valuable if the data is reliable. Many companies discover, sometimes too late, that their data is fragmented, heterogeneous or poorly structured. Without digital continuity, there can be no effective automation.
2 . Internal culture, often underestimated
Automation means changing habits, redistributing responsibilities and modifying processes that have sometimes been in place for years.
Human resistance can slow down or even block projects.
3 . Skills and governance
Automation creates new training needs: AI management, understanding models, data management, cybersecurity.
It also raises essential governance issues: transparency, accountability, regulation.
Heading towards 2026 with significantly increased digital maturity
As companies gain experience, their ambitions evolve.
Towards the automation of complex processes
Beyond simple tasks, entire processes are now being automated or semi-automated, including accounting, procurement, planning and logistics management.
The widespread adoption of low-code/no-code
By 2026, it will be commonplace for business teams to design their own tools. Development will no longer be a bottleneck.
Increasing hybridisation between humans and machines
Humans are not disappearing: they are becoming more skilled. They are becoming supervisors, analysts and decision-makers.
Automation eliminates noise; humans provide meaning.
At ARZE, our mission is clear: to support companies in their digital transformation
For a company, successful digital transformation is not just about deploying isolated technologies. It is about connecting all processes – production, logistics, finance, HR, customer relations – into a coherent and intelligent system.
This is exactly what we offer: a new-generation ERP designed to meet the challenges of 2026. Thanks to an integrated and modular platform, companies can:
- Manage their operations from start to finish: workflow automation, real-time monitoring, resource optimisation.
- Make informed decisions: predictive analytics, centralised reporting, intelligent dashboards.
- Gain flexibility: quickly add or modify modules according to market needs.
- Support teams: simplify repetitive tasks, free up time for high value-added assignments, improve collaboration between departments.
The challenge is not just technological. ARZE enables companies to reinvent their organisation, optimise their efficiency and strengthen their competitiveness. ERP thus becomes a real catalyst for transformation, facilitating the digitalisation of the company as a whole, while offering the flexibility needed to adapt to market changes.
In conclusion, 2025–2026: the moment of truth for automation
Automation has entered a new phase of maturity. It is no longer just an option or an experimental project: it is becoming a strategic lever capable of transforming all of a company’s operations. More accessible, smarter and better integrated with business needs, it offers the opportunity to rethink not only the way we work, but also the entire organisation of the company.
For leaders, the time for reflection is over; now is the time for action. Those who are able to anticipate, invest in the right tools and train their teams will reap considerable benefits: increased efficiency, operational flexibility, resilience in the face of economic uncertainty and the ability to innovate more quickly. These companies will be able to respond quickly to the market, seize new opportunities and optimise their resources without sacrificing quality.
Conversely, those that delay adopting automation or limit it to isolated initiatives risk falling behind technologically, with inefficient processes, high costs and insufficient responsiveness to competition. The gap between mature and lagging companies is likely to widen rapidly, making it more difficult and costly to catch up.
2025–2026 will therefore not be just another step in the digitalisation process: it will be a pivotal period, when automation will cease to be a promise and become an unavoidable reality, integrated into the heart of corporate strategies. It will transform not only processes, but also organisational models, the role of teams and the way companies create value.
In short, this period represents a real window of opportunity: those who are able to act proactively and methodically will enter a new era of performance, innovation and sustainable competitiveness.
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