A simple example
A supplier emails a PDF invoice. The workflow picks it up, AI reads the supplier, amount, due date and line items, checks it against the purchase order, creates a draft bill in Xero and flags any mismatch to the finance owner. Before AI, every one of those steps needed someone to open the email and type.
Traditional automation could move the file but not read it. AI fills that gap.
What it is built with
Workflows are usually built in an automation platform such as n8n, Make, Zapier or Power Automate, or in custom code for heavier use, with calls to an AI model for the reading and deciding steps. The choice matters less than good design: clear triggers, validation of AI output, error alerts and someone who owns each workflow.