AI will transform the role of business process analyst

To better understand what the broader future of work looks like, ServiceNow paired up for the third year in a row with research partner Pearson to produce the 2025 Workforce Skills Forecast. This study assesses how AI agents and related technologies such as generative AI (GenAI) will impact workers and organizations in the next five years.

[NOTE: Experienced human writers and editors used AI to help research and draft this article.]

ServiceNow and Pearson used machine learning to mine labor market data in 10 countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, the UAE, the UK, and the U.S.). The resulting analysis charts the changing relationship between people and AI in the workplace and predicts that AI will require people to adopt new skills to thrive.

Long-term impacts on business process analysts:

1. Automation of routine tasks: AI is increasingly automating repetitive and time-consuming tasks such as data collection and process documentation, while machine learning algorithms can process large data sets, detect patterns, and generate insights faster than humans. This will both allow—and force—business process analysts to focus on more strategic, high-value work such as designing innovative solutions and interpreting deeper insights. This will only increase over the next five years.

2. Demand for enhanced AI and data analysis skills: As AI becomes central to process optimization, business process analysts must acquire new skills to remain competitive. Knowledge of AI tools, machine learning, and data analytics is increasingly becoming essential to the role. Retraining in these areas will enable analysts to collaborate with AI systems and interpret AI-generated insights to make data-driven decisions.

By 2030, the impact of AI and other advanced technologies on the business process analyst role will be high.

Despite changes to the role, an additional 31,700 business process analysts are projected to be needed in the U.S. over the next five years to handle the impact of AI on companies and society, according to our research findings. Similarly, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 11% increase in employment for business management analysts (a similar role) by 2033.

Typical responsibilities of a business process analyst include documenting requirements, analyzing data, recommending process improvements, and facilitating communication between stakeholders. Many of these core responsibilities will change with the wider adoption of AI.

According to Glassdoor, the median annual salary for an IT-focused early-in-career business process analyst is $88,000, while the median annual salary for an analyst with more experience (four or more years) is $109,000.

To be successful as a business process analyst, several core skills are necessary. These include both technical abilities and soft skills that help individuals integrate into development teams and contribute effectively.

• Analytical and problem-solving skills: Business process analysts identify inefficiencies, interpret data, and conduct root cause analyses to develop actionable solutions that improve workflows.
• Business, industry, and technical knowledge: Analysts require expertise in business objectives, industry trends, and technical tools such as data analytics, process modeling software, enterprise resource planning, and automation technologies.
• Change management and communication: Process analysts lead organizational change, resolve conflicts, and articulate findings to stakeholders through clear documentation and presentations.
• Project and collaboration skills: They oversee projects, using agile methods; budget efficiently; and collaborate with cross-functional teams to implement practical process enhancements.
• Innovation and ethical practices: Analysts apply creative thinking for automation integration while addressing ethical considerations such as compliance, risk management, and data security.
• Ongoing learning and development: They must stay updated on technological advancements, certifications, and emerging tools and industry trends.

AI is significantly changing how business process analysts do their jobs. This will only increase in the years ahead, reshaping workflows, resetting expectations, and redefining the skills needed to succeed in the field. While AI can enhance productivity and simplify tasks, it requires a shift in human skills and expectations that will redefine the process analyst role.

According to the 2025 Workforce Skills Forecast, almost 40% of U.S.-based business process analyst tasks will be impacted by agentic and non-agentic AI in the next five years. This transformation will result in a time savings of 15.5 hours per week, freeing analysts to do higher-level, more strategic work. The great majority (85%) of saved time will come from non-agentic AI, such as GenAI and machine learning, while the rest will be due to AI agents fully replacing humans to complete tasks. The time savings will primarily come from the automation of tasks related to training and collaboration that are currently done by human analysts meeting with human workers.

As agentic AI becomes increasingly prevalent in the workforce, business process analysts can take the following measures to thrive:

• Embrace strategic and leadership roles: By transitioning to strategic tasks, business process analysts can focus on fostering innovation and aligning AI initiatives with business goals. This involves taking ownership of AI-driven process improvement, ensuring efficient collaboration between humans and machines, and developing frameworks for ethical AI usage.
• Learn AI implementation fundamentals: Process analysts should familiarize themselves with AI implementation strategies. Understanding the key technologies driving AI—such as robotic process automation—will enable business process analysts to design workflows optimized for both human-in-the-loop and fully automated systems.
• Develop governance and change management expertise: AI introduces a hornet’s nest of potential ethical and operational governance challenges. Future business process analysts should learn how best to establish and monitor governance frameworks that ensure compliance, minimize risks, and enhance transparency. A robust knowledge of change management will be vital to balance automated processes with human collaboration.
• Foster continuous learning and adaptability: With AI advancing rapidly, process analysts must cultivate a mindset of lifelong learning to stay up to date on emerging trends. This could involve attending industry webinars, earning certifications in AI technologies and governance, or collaborating within cross-functional teams to gain insights into AI's impact on diverse business domains.

By honing such skills and adopting a growth mindset, process analysts—and all tech workers—can thrive alongside agentic and non-agentic AI tools. Remember: AI is simply a tool, not a replacement for human ingenuity and judgement. By focusing on adaptability, continuous learning, and leveraging uniquely human traits, tech workers—and, increasingly, all workers are in some fashion tech workers—can position themselves as indispensable collaborators in the AI-driven future.

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