Ricoh accelerates global expansion in the Process Automation business domain by creating an AI-powered SaaS platform RICOH Intelligent Automation

Ricoh Company, Ltd. today unveiled a significant strategic move to propel its Process Automation (PA) business worldwide, announcing the creation of the RICOH Intelligent Automation platform. This new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered global Software as a Service (SaaS) offering is designed to fundamentally enhance customer operational efficiency and productivity by automating an end-to-end series of mission-critical tasks. The platform’s introduction marks a pivotal moment in Ricoh’s transformation into a digital services company, strengthening its commitment to delivering solutions that enable “Fulfillment through Work.”

The RICOH Intelligent Automation platform is an advanced orchestration engine, integrating three core capabilities: intelligent document processing (IDP), system integration, and workflow orchestration. It serves as a central nervous system for Ricoh’s PA solutions, particularly bolstering its global capabilities in the IDP space, a key area for modernizing operations. The platform’s intelligence is significantly enhanced by incorporating multiple AI capture technologies, including advanced image recognition and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) from its subsidiary, natif.ai. This allows for the unified processing of diverse business documents, such as invoices, purchase orders, and contracts, effectively bridging the gap between paper-based and digital data environments.

The platform’s highly flexible and scalable architecture enables it to connect and combine Ricoh’s own applications, devices, like multifunction printers and scanners, and a variety of partner solutions to deliver optimal, tailored outcomes for clients. Furthermore, Ricoh has confirmed plans to integrate generative AI technology, beginning with AI assistant functionality, to provide even more sophisticated support to its customers.

Ricoh’s strategy involves piloting the platform in selected global markets to generate measurable business outcomes before a phased, large-scale worldwide rollout. This phased approach will ensure the system’s robustness and demonstrate its ability to drive meaningful digital transformation. According to Takahiro Irisa, Senior Corporate Officer and President of RICOH Digital Services Business Unit, the new platform is an “AI-first SaaS platform built on our proprietary orchestration technology” that directly addresses the growing market demand for optimized work environments, greater productivity, and operational efficiency. By automating time-consuming manual processes like data extraction and document management, RICOH Intelligent Automation will allow employees to shift their focus to higher-value, more creative work, cementing Ricoh’s position as a leader in global business process innovation.