GenKIT's project meeting and workshop on the future of document management

On February 12, the second project meeting of Starke+Reichert GmbH & Co KG and the Department of Information Systems at the University of Kassel took place as part of the Distr@l project GenKITs - a significant start to shaping the future of document management with artificial intelligence. Inspired by the approaches of futurology, the focus was on the following question:

How will generative AI and the associated technological trends change the way documents are handled in the future? What will the workplace of the future look like?

The project meeting not only served to present previous results, but also to strategically align the next steps. A key milestone was the completion of work package 1, which focused on the identification and prioritization of AI agents - in particular the use of Generative AI agents (GenAI) to optimize processes and automate routine tasks. As part of the work package, in addition to a collaborative process for identifying AI agents based on job roles, a large number of specific agents were also designed and prioritized during the workshop:

DocAnalyst - Automates the analysis of documents and enables the rapid extraction of relevant information, e.g. for evaluating application figures.

DocSeeker - Facilitates the targeted search for documents and their content within databases.

DocMatcher - Links related documents, such as invoices with the corresponding delivery bills, in order to recognize correlations more quickly.

DocClassifier - Automatically recognizes and classifies documents, including indexing and pre-assignment, to optimize document recognition.

DocConfigurator - Enables easy configuration of workflows or process steps using intuitive voice commands.

DocLinker - Links thematically related documents, e.g. all of a supplier's documents, in one central location.

DocSync - Ensures synchronization between different systems, e.g. for automatic data transfer between financial accounting and ERP systems.

DocCreator - Automatically creates new documents, e.g. invitations or reports.

DocSupporter - Supports IT employees with AI-based support, especially for telephone inquiries and system support.

A key outcome of the workshop was the realization that the future of document management does not lie in complete automation, but in collaboration between employees and AI agents. The agents should act as intelligent assistants that take over repetitive tasks, allowing employees more time for complex and creative activities.

The workshop marked an important first step towards developing a vision for the future and integrating generative AI into IT system houses. The prioritized AI agents will now be transferred to prototype development and tested in pilot projects to evaluate their suitability for practical use. The project is also looking at linking the agents in multi-agent systems. To this end, mechanisms for controlling and orchestrating the agents are to be developed over the course of the year.

Many thanks to the participants of the workshop: Dr. Felix Reichert, Alexander Starke, Christof Lücking, Dr. Mahei Li, Philipp Reinhard, Stefan Radtke, Eike Jan Doose, Florian Gaiser, Andreas Ulbricht, Leonard Jochmaring, Bashar Almhanna and Paul Wall. We would also like to thank the entire project team: Prof. Dr. Jan Marco Leimeister, Achraf El Meryny, Alen Besic, Tizian Köcher, Ashkan Kiafard and Nils Köhling.