Chapter 12: Workflow Automation & ROI

This video reframes AI not as a futuristic concept but as a practical automation engine that businesses can use today. It begins by naming the “modern work bottleneck”—the endless copying, pasting, app-switching, and low-value tasks that drain teams of time and energy. Learners are introduced to Google’s AI building blocks: Gemini for instant productivity within Workspace, NotebookLM as a personal research analyst, and AI Studio as a sandbox for custom solutions. The session highlights how these tools are most powerful when connected across systems like Salesforce, Jira, and ServiceNow, breaking down silos and creating a single source of truth.

The second half dives into Agentspace as the conductor of this automation orchestra, showing how custom AI agents can be chained together to form an “AI assembly line”. A data agent can pull figures, a compliance agent checks them, a reporting agent drafts a summary, and a communication agent distributes it—all within minutes instead of days. The video then introduces a simple ROI formula: hours saved × average hourly cost = measurable benefit. It closes by emphasising three layers of value—time savings, quality improvements, and employee satisfaction—arguing that automation is not science fiction but a present-day competitive advantage. The challenge for participants is posed directly: what is the first time-draining workflow in your organisation you would automate?