APQC CONNECT 2026, APQC's annual Process & Knowledge Management Conference is taking place in Houston April 22-23. We asked our breakout speakers to talk about different themes and topics they’ll be presenting at this year’s conference for a series of blog posts. Our fourth in this series has speakers discussing the rise of AI and how it will affect knowledge and process management.
How has the rise of generative AI affected the work you do in your organization, or your organization as a whole? Where does it come in to play in your process and/or knowledge management efforts?
Rob Rowello | Global VP Business Transformation, Magna International: Generative AI has fundamentally changed how I operate as a transformation leader. I use it daily as a thought partner to pressure-test strategy, sharpen messaging, and accelerate alignment across executives - it helps me articulate complex ideas like North Star with more clarity and precision than traditional drafting ever could.
At the enterprise level, it's becoming the catalyst for the next phase of our journey. Through Project North Star, we're building a common ontology and an agentic AI grid so AI isn't just a productivity tool, but a system that understands our processes, data, and context. When AI is grounded in a standardized process framework and trusted data, it shifts from answering questions to driving intelligent flow across the organization.
Lance Bradshaw | Director, HR Workforce Transformation, Intermountain Health: Generative AI has shifted the conversation from automation to augmentation. The most significant impact has not been replacing work, but changing how knowledge work gets done. Tools like Microsoft Copilot have helped reduce time spent on drafting, analysis, and meeting preparation, allowing people to focus on judgment, collaboration, and decision-making.
From a process and knowledge management perspective, generative AI is most valuable when embedded in well-designed workflows. AI does not fix broken processes. In fact, it often exposes them. That is why we pair AI pilots with process redesign, governance, and clear use cases.
We are also very intentional about responsible AI use. Adoption depends on trust, clarity, and confidence. When people understand how AI supports their work and where human judgment remains essential, engagement increases and resistance decreases.
Ellen Crowley and Shashank Agarwal | Sr. Enablement Program Manager, AWS and Sr. Technical Program Manager: The rise of gen AI has informed our 'think big' approach to knowledge management, by automating content quality reviews, as well as opportunities for improved content consumption and discovery via agentic workflows.
Rebecka Isaksson | KnowFlow Value: For my personal productivity it has accelerated my productivity by at least 5x. A simple example is the production of my podcast and the thought leadership articles I publish a few times / month on LinkedIn - it now takes me 15-20 minutes to produce an article, what used to take me 2-2.5 hours. Same goes for events and sessions I deliver at events.
But most importantly: I have daily conversations with Copilot (voice-to-voice) and that is not only faster and gets more accurate outputs, but it also helps me retain so much more of the knowledge I obtain - as we absorb and learn so much better through conversations than through text. Plus, I always use my Copilot to challenge my own beliefs and chosen truths - giving me many more angles and view points to consider, in everything I produce.
Neil Hopkins | Department of the Navy: I am one of the change managers directly working with and alongside AI tools. I am a transformer architecture python user and developer. Where it comes into play with our data models is understanding hidden trends, and forecasted indicators.
Genevieve Caplette | Director of Transformation, Michelin: Meeting Efficiency & Decision Traceability
Auto notes & action extraction: Summaries with decisions, owners, and due dates right in Teams.
Cross‑meeting linkage: Surfaces related threads or prior decisions so we don’t re‑debate old ground.
Follow‑up nudges: Drafts recap messages and next-step checklists.
Why it matters: Better flow from discussion → accountable action → documented outcomes.
Tyson Simmons | Operations Architect - Pinnacle: Generative AI has become a tool that helps us work more efficiently, and gives us access to expedited information and analysis. We look at it like having an “expert” in the room to assist with decisions and research.
Additionally, we leverage AI to help point us toward areas where we can improve, surface gaps or issues we might not be seeing, especially when there’s a lot of data or moving parts, and to get exposure to best practices and industry standards. This helps us execute faster and with more confidence.