AI changes document management
Modern document processing: Artificial intelligence is also used in connection with PDF technology
AI (artificial intelligence) initially evokes futuristic associations for many people. One might think of self-driving cars, high-end robotics, AI-controlled traffic management or similar.
In fact, there are already many areas where AI is used in everyday life without us always noticing it directly. Examples include voice assistants, language translation, smart home systems, music streaming, image creation/recognition, assisted driving, and navigation. In many corporate environments, AI is also used to analyze data. This applies, for example, when algorithms search court records to estimate the value of personal injury claims or when software is used in hospitals to improve early diagnosis and therapy.
Artificial intelligence can be used in document processing
Wherever work processes are automated by virtual assistants (including chatbots), this can be considered AI in a broader sense. In the digital office, for example, organizations often need to process huge amounts of information. Automated processes can be immensely helpful here. AI-based document processing focuses on the creation, analysis, and handling of documents. Costs, time, and effort can be reduced by structuring data and transferring it into applications. Ideally, such business processes should be automated and AI-supported.
PDF technology integrates artificial intelligence
The PDF format is often used when documents are digitised, processed and archived. To optimise this process in companies, artificial intelligence is increasingly being integrated into workflows. This has the advantage that employees can access and compare the different versions of a document even faster and more precisely. In general, automated processes also reduce errors and costs.
When identical documents are compared, algorithms can very quickly detect errors and differences within the layout and content, as well as identify changes. Furthermore, AI can identify document types and then forward them to appropriate processors, all fully automatically.
AI in connection with PDF technology begins where companies convert paper documents to digital ones, i.e., in the move toward a paperless office. This requires software that supports large-scale conversion. As soon as documents are available digitally and converted into PDF format, intelligent AI-supported data processing becomes possible. Depending on complexity, AI-controlled PDF workflows cannot be implemented overnight. In the long run, however, this approach provides cost efficiency, higher productivity, and improved customer satisfaction.
What will document processing look like in the future?
Machine learning and process automation are clearly central for the future. AI should automatically recognize document types. The more documents that can be pre-sorted, filtered, and processed this way, the better. This also helps determine the need for manual post-processing quickly and effectively. Staff can then work with documents much more easily and efficiently.
Use of IDP solutions
Another example of the benefits AI offers in this context is that it can identify sensitive data in large volumes of files, saving a lot of time (of manual searching). Once the passages have been filtered out, they can then be redacted if necessary. This technology is known as Intelligent Document Processing and is being used more and more in companies. Through this technology, it is possible to automatically filter out relevant and valuable data from complex documents and then use it in other business processes.
IDP solutions often also use optical character recognition, natural language processing, computer vision or machine learning. Especially in the insurance, banking and healthcare sectors, and wherever forms, invoices, orders and loans are processed, it is possible to automate processes with IDP solutions. Public authorities can and should also use this advantage. For example, it would be possible to optimise the processing of forms on a large scale.
Intelligent document processing solutions are absolutely on the rise in many industries and companies. Strong growth is now expected in the coming years. This is because cost reductions and productivity increases are good arguments for the introduction of IDP and AI-supported processes.