AI, agents, and agentic AI
As U+ Bank's customer onboarding solution nears completion in the Pega Blueprint™, the Chief Digital Officer raises the forward-looking question: "We've designed workflows, business Rules, user experiences, and Channels. But what about AI? Everyone's talking about AI agents and automation. How do we decide where AI fits into our solution?"
The AI opportunity at U+ Bank
This question reflects a critical challenge for every organization driving digital transformation: Where should AI be applied? Which tasks are right for traditional business rules versus AI-powered decisioning? When do we need human judgment versus agentic AI that acts autonomously?
At this stage, the Solution Designer does not configure AI. Technical implementation is the responsibility of the Solution Builder in Pega. The Solution Designer’s role is to determine where AI technologies add value and why, selecting the right approach for each use case based on the nature of the decision.
The technology selection question
In the following video, the Solution Designer explains the types of business Rules the U+ Bank stakeholders have discussed and agreed to so far and sets the stage for how AI can help further streamline decisioning making:
The job of the Solution Designer is to map these technology choices to the right moments in the workflow based on the nature of the decision:
|
Use case |
Examples |
When to use |
|---|---|---|
|
Business Rules |
A Decision Table that helps determine what type of checking account is proposed based on multiple points of information. When Rule that returns a True/False value to indicate the need for additional identity verification based on the value of a property storing the applicant age. Decision Tree evaluates eligibility based on if-then-else logic. |
Use a Decision Table when configuring conditions that evaluate many values of the same property. Use a When Rule to return a Boolean value to use in a business decision. Use a Decision Tree for conditions that evaluate different properties. |
|
Agentic AI |
Based on inputs from a customer in a web chat, the Pega application automatically invokes a Case; for example, to dispute a charge on a credit card. |
An enterprise wants to automate Case creation by using AI and add automation at various steps in a workflow in a controlled and predictable way. |
|
Generative AI (Connect GenAI Rule) |
Generative AI can extract information from submitted documentation related to a disputed charge on a credit card statement. Generative AI can also produce documentation based on aspects of a Case. |
An enterprise wants to intelligently process documents, both to extract information and create documents and emails, using AI, but in a predictable and controlled manner that supports human oversight. |
|
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) |
Back office workers must manually cross-check customer information across various systems. |
When systems lack APIs, RPA can be used to evaluate and cross-reference information. |
|
Predictive AI |
An enterprise wants to predict the likelihood of a customer churn in a Case reaching a successful completion. |
When you have decision points in your workflow that can be automated based on structured data. |
Designing for the right tool at the right moment
In the following video, the Solution Designer brings the different technology options to life as she explains how and why U+ Bank is using business Rules, Predictive AI, and agentic AI at critical Steps in the customer onboarding workflow:
These decisions are not technical configuration details; they are strategic design choices about which technology best addresses a particular business problem. The Solution Designer documents these choices in Blueprint, and the Solution Builder later implements them using Pega AI™ features.
In the following image, click the + icons to view the technology choice applied to the applicable areas of the workflow:
Why Solution Designers matter in the AI era
The following video addresses a fundamental question about why humans are still essential experts when designing workflows. Listen and watch as the Solution Designer addresses the Chief Digital Officer's question with confidence about why human judgment plays a critical role when bridging business strategy and technical execution.
The Solution Designer orchestrates this partnership, knowing when to use business rules (human-defined logic), predictive AI (pattern recognition), RPA (task automation), and agentic AI (autonomous action). These technologies are not interchangeable. Each is a specialized tool for a specific type of problem.
The business impact at U+ Bank
U+ Bank's stakeholders see how the Solution Designer has designed a complete transformation:
- Customer experience: Account opening takes 45 seconds for straightforward applications instead of days. Proactive assistance during the application process reduces frustration and abandonment. Mobile-friendly document capture feels modern and convenient.
- Operational efficiency: AI agents handle routine processing, freeing staff for complex cases and relationship building. Fraud detection occurs automatically at scale with consistent quality. Processing costs decrease while throughput increases dramatically.
- Competitive advantage: Speed-to-yes matches digital-first competitors. Quality and compliance remain high even at increased volume. Customer satisfaction improves because of a modern experience.
- Risk management: Fraud detection is more comprehensive than manual review. All decisions include explanations for regulatory compliance. Human oversight remains in place for complex Cases.
The Chief Digital Officer addresses the team in the final stakeholder meeting: "What the Solution Designer has designed in Blueprint is more than a customer onboarding process. It's a template for how we compete in the AI era that combines the best of automation with the best of human judgment, moving fast without breaking things, innovating while maintaining trust."
This statement demonstrates the power of Blueprint in the hands of a Solution Designer who understands Pega AI features. The design is not only automated, but also intelligently automated, with the right technology applied at the right moment. When the Solution Builder implements the Blueprint design in Pega, U+ Bank achieves a transformation that is both technically excellent and strategically aligned.
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