CNME Editor Mark Forker spoke to Ahmed El Hamouly, Head of META at Boomi, to find out more about how its agnostic cloud-native platform is built to scale, how the global intelligent integration and automation leader leverages its technologies to radically simplify the complexity of enterprise software – and how its Boomi AI is enhancing data transparency and security for its users. 
Boomi is regarded by many industry analysts as one of the leading players globally when it comes to intelligent integration and automation. Can you provide our readers with a broader overview of the Boomi business model?
In short, Boomi helps organizations radically simplify the complexity of enterprise software. Boomi is all about powering the future of businesses with smart integration and automation.
As the market leading iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) company, our role is to be the intelligent integration and automation leader of choice, globally, Boomi has a strong community of over 20,000 customers and a network of 800 partners around the world.
Businesses choose Boomi’s market-leading platform to connect their apps, data, systems, processes and people, which speeds up their digital transformation journey, and enables them to foster and harness innovation.
As we know AI is the future, and in May 2023, Boomi launched Boomi AI, which is a first-of-its-kind simplified user experience that leverages Generative AI to connect and integrate applications. Again, can you outline to our readers what the unique capabilities are in Boomi AI – and what impact does it have for the businesses that adopt the technology?
Boomi AI enhances the capabilities of our existing iPaaS platform by leveraging artificial intelligence to refine and optimize the data integration and automation process for our customers.
By leveraging Boomi’s vast data lake of over 200 million integrations, encompassing 70 terabytes of de-identified metadata, Boomi AI can efficiently generate the best integration from simple user intent, for exampleith Boomi AI, a user can use Boomi’s natural language interface to request: “connect SalesForce to Netsuite” and the integration will be created.
The user can then inspect the design and choose what to do next. . This enables users to meet their integration needs more effectively and rapidly than with other platforms, and ultimately empowers our users to achieve their goals.
Additionally, Boomi AI has recently integrated new features that enhance data transparency and security, such as the ability to track and flag the movement of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) across regions, thereby mitigating privacy concerns.
Furthermore, Boomi AI has introduced Documentation as a Service (DaaS), which automates the documentation process for both existing and newly created integrations, whether created by AI or not.
The beauty of Boomi is that our platform can continuously evolve to support our customer’s needs.
The impact this has for our customers is clear: By understanding user intention alongside our platform’s knowledge and community-driven insights, we significantly reduce the learning curve for our customers, minimize errors and enable faster outcomes.
The term AI Readiness has been coined by many analysts, but it can have a different meaning from one organization to another. From Boomi’s perspective, how would you define AI Readiness, and what are the key components an enterprise needs to be AI Ready?
We’re in an AI revolution, and the pace of change we’re experiencing is more rapid than it has ever been.
Organizations today are really feeling the pressure of that change, expect disruption, and know they need to be prepared.
They also know that AI presents an opportunity, and they want to take advantage of this opportunity.
So, AI readiness is really about how an organization can become ‘digitally ready’ for the challenges of today while preparing for the opportunities that AI brings.
When we think about the key components for AI readiness, perhaps the most important are effective data management and governance.
AI readiness requires developing a solid foundation of data trust, ensuring that the integrity and reliability of data are maintained.
At Boomi, we focus on connecting critical data systems and guiding organizations to establish comprehensive data governance practices, which are crucial for minimizing risks and maximizing the effectiveness of AI applications.
By instilling confidence in the data used for AI initiatives, organizations can prevent potential pitfalls and set the stage for genuine, sustainable transformation.
This strategic approach to data governance not only prepares organizations for the current AI wave but also positions them to capitalize on future advancements in AI technology.
Becoming AI-ready also involves meticulous preparation and alignment of your company’s processes and platforms to seamlessly integrate AI technologies.
This includes evaluating and automating existing processes where possible, and instilling strong ethical practices in handling data and AI operations.
The role of a supportive network of partners—vendors, integrators, and advisors—is crucial in providing the necessary guidance and challenge to navigate the AI landscape.
Such thorough preparation ensures that the organization is not only equipped with the right technology but also fosters a mindset geared towards innovation and ethical responsibility in the AI era.
Boomi has enjoyed phenomenal success globally, but can you tell us about its market presence and market share across the META region?
Boomi’s presence in the region is a strategic one. And, I’m pleased to say our market presence across the region is growing rapidly.
Organizations in the region need solutions that are able to grow and scale with them.
Boomi has been serving a diverse array of industries such as transportation, retail, logistics, manufacturing, real estate and government, in the region, building a legacy of trust and innovation for some time now.
Boomi is dedicated to supporting local businesses and to empowering organizations to harness the full potential of intelligent integration and automation solutions.
Boomi is well-positioned to respond to the unique challenges faced by our clients in the region, helping them power the future of business with cutting-edge technology and tailored support.
How excited are Boomi by the swathe of opportunities emerging in the Middle East, especially in the KSA marketplace?
We are thrilled to witness the expanding opportunities across the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where our presence is rapidly strengthening.
Our client base includes prominent names from a range of vital industries, such as maritime, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics.
This growth is not only a testament to the trust and reliability that these major players place in our services but also reflects our deep commitment to understanding and addressing the unique challenges of each customer.
As we continue to build our relationships and expand our offerings, we are more dedicated than ever to powering the success of businesses across META through innovative solutions and dedicated support.
In your opinion, what is it that ultimately differentiates Boomi from its market rivals?
Again, it’s Boomi’s ability to grow and scale with our customer’s businesses. Organizations today want to work with technology vendors that are cloud-native, and aren’t hampered by baggage caused by legacy technology.
The Boomi platform was built with this ability to scale in mind, it’s agnostic, and can easily pivot to our customer’s needs and innovation is in our DNA. This is what really sets us apart from legacy vendors.
With a strong foundational platform, we are able to consistently innovate our offering to respond to technology shifts and customer needs.
Not only are we growing the services inside the platform, we’re also adding brand new product services along the way. Ultimately, this results in a continuously enhanced user experience.
