Traditional automation breaks when inputs vary, such as emails written in different ways or forms filled in inconsistently. Adding AI lets a workflow handle that variation: it can read a request, pull out the key details, route it to the right queue and prepare a draft reply, while rules and approvals keep the process predictable.
For example, a customer service team might have incoming emails classified, matched to the account in the CRM and assigned automatically, with a person reviewing anything the system is unsure about. The misconception is that AI should run every step. Most dependable workflows use plain rules wherever rules work and reserve AI for the steps that need judgment.