AI and Data, The New Operating System for Global Business Services
By Change & Transformation, Finance

As Shared Services evolve beyond cost and efficiency, AI and data are becoming the new operating system for modern Global Business Services (GBS). This article explores how intelligence, connectivity, and leadership are combining to redefine performance, resilience, and strategic value across enterprises.

Part of Cedar’s Shared Services blog series. Read Part 1 and Part 3 here.

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As Shared Services functions mature, the conversation has moved beyond process optimisation. The most forward-thinking organisations are using connected data, analytics, and intelligent automation to make faster, smarter decisions that improve performance across the enterprise. The question is no longer whether AI fits into the Shared Services model, but how effectively it can be embedded to drive business outcomes.

Building on the evolution of Shared Services from cost efficiency to capability and strategic value, this article explores how AI and data are becoming the new operating system for Global Business Services (GBS), enabling faster insight, better forecasting, and enterprise-wide agility.

From Automation to Intelligence

For many organisations, automation was the first step in modernising Shared Services. Robotic Process Automation (RPA) helped reduce manual work, standardise processes, and deliver efficiency gains. Yet, as several leaders are finding, those benefits have reached a plateau. The focus is now on how to build intelligence, not just automation.

Recent examples show how integrating AI across finance and customer systems can dramatically improve forecasting and cashflow visibility, highlighting how intelligence, not just automation, is transforming decision-making within Shared Services.

This shift from automation to intelligence represents more than a technology upgrade. It reflects a new way of thinking about Shared Services, one where success is defined not by process completion, but by the quality of decisions that follow. Teams are learning that AI delivers its greatest value when it’s designed to support human judgement rather than replace it.

As one attendee put it, “Automation took away the manual work. Intelligence gives us back the time to think.” The real challenge for leaders now is to turn that regained time into insight, strategy, and innovation.

The Power of Connected Data

Data has become the foundation on which modern Shared Services are built. Every function, from finance and procurement to HR and tax, depends on accurate, accessible, and connected data to operate effectively.

Organisations leading the way treat data as a shared enterprise asset, not a departmental resource. By integrating ERP, CRM, and operational systems, they create a single version of the truth that allows leaders to monitor performance in real time.

This level of connectivity is transforming GBS operating models. It allows teams to move beyond retrospective reporting to predictive insight, forecasting cash positions, supply chain risks, or customer demand before issues arise. Some organisations are even establishing enterprise data hubs within their Shared Services, using analytics teams to identify trends across regions and functions that previously operated in silos.

This interconnected approach is also reshaping governance. With clearer visibility of performance and outcomes, Shared Services can play a central role in enterprise risk management, compliance, and sustainability reporting, areas that rely on consistent, auditable data..

The outcome is faster decision-making, improved accuracy, and a stronger ability to adapt in volatile markets. Shared Services are no longer defined by their ability to process information, but by how effectively they use that information to guide the business forward.

Human and Machine, Working Together

Despite the rise of automation and AI, people remain at the centre of effective Shared Services. Technology enables scale, but it is human expertise that interprets, challenges, and applies insight.

As roles evolve, process experts are becoming automation owners, analysts are turning into data translators, and leaders are expected to balance commercial understanding with digital fluency. Organisations investing in upskilling, such as through dedicated digital academies, are creating more agile and future-ready teams.

It is increasingly clear that the human element will be the differentiator in the years ahead. The most successful Shared Services leaders are those who own the AI and data agenda rather than rely on external technology functions. That ownership demands curiosity, collaboration, and confidence to translate data into strategic action.

It also changes the nature of leadership. Tomorrow’s Shared Services leaders will be less focused on transactional delivery and more on cross-functional influence. They’ll lead teams that combine finance, operations, and data analytics into one integrated capability, a shift that blurs the line between service delivery and business strategy.

Building an AI-Ready Shared Service

Becoming AI-ready requires more than implementing new tools. It demands clarity of purpose, strong governance, and cultural alignment.

The most successful Shared Services functions measure outcomes by decision impact, not by the number of bots or automation rates achieved. The emphasis is on how AI improves business performance, enabling faster close cycles, greater accuracy, and tangible returns on insight.

Key steps to achieving AI readiness include:

  1. Building strong data foundations – ensuring quality, integration, and security before applying AI solutions.
  2. Prioritising business-driven use cases – aligning automation with real outcomes such as cashflow improvement or customer satisfaction.
  3. Creating shared ownership models – bringing finance, IT, and operations together to govern AI strategy collectively.
  4. Investing in leadership and change – equipping leaders to guide transformation and embed data-driven decision-making across teams.

When these elements align, Shared Services move from operational support to strategic enablement, becoming the AI core of the enterprise. Those that get it right not only gain efficiency but also unlock innovation, resilience, and a far deeper understanding of their organisation’s performance.

Looking Ahead

The shift from automation to intelligence represents a fundamental change in how Shared Services create value. AI and data are no longer side projects, they are central to the way modern businesses operate, forecast, and grow. The opportunity now lies in combining human insight with intelligent systems to unlock deeper capability and resilience.

This blog is the second in Cedar’s three-part series exploring how Shared Services and GBS are evolving to drive business transformation. The final piece will focus on building the talent and leadership required to lead this new era, exploring how organisations are preparing their people to deliver sustainable, technology-enabled success.

If your organisation is scaling or modernising its Shared Services capability, Cedar’s specialist teams can help you build the talent and leadership required for success, get in touch with our team to start the conversation.