Top 6 BPM trends to watch in 2025: AI, orchestration and citizen automation
At a glance
Business process management is shifting from isolated task automation to connected journeys that span systems and teams. The most effective programs pair orchestration with AI assistance and make room for citizen automation so improvements move faster. You will see why these trends are accelerating, how client-facing workflows change the experience, and concrete steps to pilot each trend without heavy change.
Why BPM is evolving
Processes now cross more tools and more company boundaries; customers expect clear status and quick answers; teams want less manual work and better visibility. The conditions favor orchestration that links your stack, then AI that assists at the right moments. Two signals illustrate the shift. McKinsey estimates that current technologies, including generative AI, could automate activities that absorb 60 to 70 percent of employees’ time (source: McKinsey)
Integration maturity is also a constraint; MuleSoft’s Connectivity Benchmark reports 95 percent of organizations face integration challenges that slow digital initiatives.
6 top BPM trends for 2025: AI, orchestration & more
1. AI-assisted work becomes the default
AI is moving from novelty to the standard way to triage, classify, summarize, and draft. The goal is not to replace decisions; it is to shorten loops and surface the next best step. Start with one frequent step and keep humans in the loop; measure accuracy, time saved, and error reduction. Expand only when the assist clearly helps operators.
Where to apply first intake validation, document classification, escalation summaries, and next step suggestions. For example, a triage agent can check attachments for completeness before routing. If your team needs a structured path to implement such checkpoints, publish the intake and routing inside workflows so you can add assistive steps without custom development.
2. Orchestration replaces point automations
Companies are consolidating scattered automations into journeys that connect apps and actors. Orchestration defines how systems participate; it moves data at the right moments and makes ownership explicit. This reduces duplicate entries and makes changes safer because each system does its part.
A practical place to start is a cross-team process, like onboarding or renewals. Map the end-to-end path; identify the two or three points where data copy-paste causes errors; then use integrations to move data automatically. Add a dashboard that shows cycle time and aging items so you can prove impact. Over time, you will replace fragile point automations with a coherent flow that can evolve.
3. Citizen automation with guardrails
Business teams want to fix their own process friction; they should be able to improve the flow without a ticket queue. Low-code tools let them publish intake forms, routing rules, and checklists; guardrails keep quality high. The trick is to balance autonomy with standards. Provide templates for common processes; require clear entry criteria; define escalation paths; and run a weekly review so the portfolio stays coherent.
Citizen automation shines for internal approvals, change requests, and simple service flows. Start with one team that is eager to help; have them build the intake form and routing rule; and measure first-time-right plus cycle time to validate the improvement. If the pilot works, templatize the pattern so other teams can move quickly.
4. Client-facing workflows as table stakes
Customers and partners expect a secure place to submit information, review progress, and sign; a modern client portal replaces scattered emails with a clear path. The impact is experiential and operational. Salesforce finds 80 percent of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services (source: Salesforce).
Begin by making external steps explicit. Decide what outside participants must provide, which fields and files are mandatory, and what happens to incomplete requests. Use the portal to show status and next steps; set expectations around review timing; and keep all documents in one place with document collection so teams answer questions with facts rather than email archaeology.
5. Embedded experiences inside your product
Rather than sending users to separate tools, teams embed key steps inside their website or application. Embedded forms and tasks reduce context switching; they also keep data clean because validation happens at the point of entry. This pattern shortens time to value for both customers and internal stakeholders.
You can begin with a single embedded form for requests that originate in your product; for example, a customer asks for a service change and completes the required fields inline. The workflow starts immediately; rules route ownership; and the requester sees status in their usual environment. Embedded experiences are especially powerful when paired with orchestration because they connect to the same journey your internal teams follow.
6. Compliance first BPM
With tighter regulations and complex data flows, audit trails are not optional. Systems need to capture who did what, when, and why as part of the normal process. Standardized document handling and role-based access keep sensitive work controlled without slowing the team.
Compliance-first design also saves money. Research indicates that the average cost of non-compliance is materially higher than the cost of compliance programs; see the Ponemon Institute and Globalscape analysis for a broad comparison of cost drivers such as fines, business disruption, and audit labor (source: Globalscape and Ponemon Institute). In day-to-day terms, that means it is cheaper to capture approvals and store evidence once than to rebuild the trail later.
Top BPM trends: At a glance
How to pilot BPM trends effectively
Start with small, manageable experiments lasting about two weeks. Choose a specific metric to focus on, such as cycle time, first-time-right rate, or overall efficiency. Design and implement a minimal version of the process or change you want to test. During the pilot, measure its impact closely to assess whether it delivers the desired results.
Document everything in a change log—this helps ensure your learnings are captured and can be used to refine future experiments. If the pilot proves successful, create a standardized template or framework to make it easier to replicate and scale across other teams or processes. This methodical approach ensures a balance between innovation and practicality, allowing you to implement BPM trends with confidence and clarity.
Moxo: Simplify & scale business process management
For teams new to Business Process Management, Moxo lowers the barrier to entry. You can map a simple workflow, launch it in days—not months—and use built-in analytics to iterate as you go.
With Moxo’s no-code workflow builder, you can publish forms, assign task owners, set SLAs, and define approval paths—all without developer input. Clients and vendors interact through a branded client portal that lets them submit information, view progress, and avoid long email threads.
Documents and signatures are centralized in one secure workspace with full version control, while role-based access and audit trails ensure workflows align with internal controls and compliance requirements.
Moxo makes it easy to start with a small process—like onboarding or service requests—and then scale that pattern across the organization.
Build BPM that works and scales
The most effective BPM programmes in 2025 are simple on the surface and thoughtful underneath. They connect systems, embed clients into workflows, and use AI to eliminate repetitive busywork. Success doesn’t start with complexity—it starts with one well-chosen pilot. Measure results, refine, and expand based on what works.
Curious how these ideas look in action? Book a demo to explore live configurations tailored to your roles, workflows, and systems.
FAQs
Will AI make BPM risky?
Not if it’s implemented thoughtfully. Keep humans in the loop for sensitive decisions, and ensure all AI-driven actions are logged in the audit trail for visibility and accountability.
How many tools do we need to orchestrate a workflow?
Start with the two systems where manual copy-paste happens most often—email and spreadsheets. Then expand integrations gradually using workflow automation as coordination needs grow.
What if teams build different versions of the same process?
Use standardized templates, shared intake fields, and naming conventions. A weekly design review can help align changes before they diverge too far.
Do we need developers for every process change?
Not anymore. With low-code tools, most updates—like adjusting routing, SLAs, or forms—can be made directly by the team that owns the process.
