How to evaluate ERP AI features without accepting generic chatbot claims or risky automation that mutates finance, inventory, approval, or shipment data silently.
AI should reduce risk, not hide it
Useful ERP AI explains operational context, highlights exceptions, summarizes evidence, and helps users act faster. It should not silently change financial, inventory, approval, payment, or shipment records without clear human confirmation.
Governance questions for CFOs
- Can AI explain invoice variance using source invoices, payments, and customer records?
- Can risky finance actions require explicit human confirmation?
- Can AI output be audited or linked to the source records used?
- Can AI be disabled for sensitive roles or tenants?
Governance questions for IT
- Which AI provider processes prompts and responses?
- What data is sent, retained, logged, or excluded?
- Does the AI context respect tenant and user permissions?
- Are secrets, passwords, tokens, and unnecessary personal data excluded from prompts?
Governance questions for operations
- Can AI cite work orders, NCRs, stock movements, suppliers, customers, or invoices?
- Can anomaly alerts be reviewed before becoming operational actions?
- Can recommendations be turned into checklists rather than blind automation?