Augment
AI improves humans — copilots, drafts, recommendations
Agentic
AI automates workflows — multi-step, semi-structured
Activate
Unlock AI already in your stack — fastest ROI, no build
Automate
Rules engines and RPA — deterministic, not AI
B
Augmented AI — Human In the Loop
AI generates recommendations, drafts, or analysis. A human reviews and approves before action is taken. Right for judgment-heavy, compliance-sensitive, or relationship-driven work where AI accelerates but humans decide. Score 9–12.
Oversight mode: Human In The Loop — human approves every AI output
A
Agentic AI — Human Above the Loop
AI executes multi-step workflows with minimal human touchpoints. Humans set goals and review outcomes; exceptions escalate automatically. Best for high-volume, semi-structured processes where patterns are consistent. Score 13–16.
Oversight mode: Human Above The Loop — exceptions escalate to human review
C
Embedded AI Activation — Human On the Loop
AI capability already exists inside platforms you own (Salesforce Einstein, SAP AI, Epic Cognitive Computing). No new model or build required — configure and activate. This is the fastest path to ROI; most organisations underuse what they've already paid for. Score 17–20.
Oversight mode: Human On The Loop — monitors outcomes, intervenes when needed
Automation lane — deterministic rules, not AI. Different type, not a higher tier.
D
Traditional Automation — Human Out of the Loop
Rule-based RPA or deterministic workflow automation. Fully structured input, no judgment required. Humans design the rules but don't touch individual transactions. Score 21–24. Do not over-engineer with AI — this is the right tool for this job.
Oversight mode: Human Out Of The Loop — fully automated with periodic audit
E
Stay Human — No Automation
The process relies on human judgment, creativity, emotional intelligence, or is a core strategic differentiator. Automating destroys value. AI may assist, but a human owns the outcome entirely. Score 6–8, or DL = 1, or SD = 1.
Oversight mode: Human In The Loop — AI may support but human owns every decision
6-Dimension Scoring (each 1–4, max 24)
Guardrails override the score: DL = 1 (pure judgment) → Stay Human regardless of total. SD = 1 (core differentiator) → capped at Augmented AI regardless of total.
Data Structure (DS)
How structured and machine-readable is the input data? 1=unstructured, 4=fully structured
Decision Logic (DL)
How rule-based vs. judgment-driven is the decision? 1=pure judgment, 4=pure rules
Volume/Frequency (VF)
How many times does this process run? 1=rare/unique, 4=thousands/day
Exception Rate (ER)
How often do edge cases require human judgment? 1=always, 4=rarely
Regulatory Compliance (RC)
How much regulatory risk does automation carry? 1=high risk, 4=low risk
Strategic Differentiation (SD)
Is human involvement a competitive advantage? 1=core differentiator (caps at Augmented AI), 4=commodity task
Score bands: 6–8 = E (Stay Human) · 9–12 = B (Augmented AI) · 13–16 = A (Agentic AI) · 17–20 = C (Embedded AI Activation) · 21–24 = D (Traditional Automation)