Oklahoma is transforming its state procurement system through AI-powered process intelligence, leading to significant cost savings and improved oversight across more than 100 state agencies.
Initial implementation and impact: The Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES) deployed Celonis’ process intelligence platform in 2023, integrating AI into its procurement processes to streamline operations.
- The system creates a digital twin of financial and procurement data from PeopleSoft, providing real-time insights into financial processes
- Since launch, the platform has identified $6.8 billion in purchasing inefficiencies
- The implementation addresses findings from a legislative report that revealed $3 billion in state purchases previously lacked proper oversight
Technological transformation: The AI-powered platform has dramatically improved the state’s ability to conduct procurement audits and maintain oversight.
- Prior to implementation, the state could only complete eight audits annually, often reviewing purchases 2-3 years after the fact
- The new system enabled OMES to review all state procurement within 60 days of launch
- Auto-generated alerts now highlight errors in real-time, allowing buyers to make immediate corrections
Cost savings and efficiency gains: The platform’s comprehensive analysis has revealed significant opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement.
- The system identified instances where agencies were purchasing directly from vendors at 45% below statewide contract prices
- This discovery led to mandatory renegotiation of statewide contracts to secure better pricing
- The platform consolidates procurement data into a “single pane of glass,” enabling better economies of scale
Implementation challenges: Change management emerged as the primary hurdle in rolling out the new system.
- Educating state buyers about the tool and its utilization proved challenging
- The integration of automation and AI-driven data helped ease the transition
- State employees have responded positively, particularly appreciating clarification of procurement laws
Expanding applications: Oklahoma is extending the use of Celonis beyond procurement into other state operations.
- The platform is being implemented in Workday, the state’s human resources platform
- OMES’ service delivery ticketing system is now utilizing the technology
- The system’s “agnostic” nature makes it potentially valuable for other states and federal agencies
Future implications: While Oklahoma’s AI-driven procurement transformation shows promising results, the broader impact on government operations and taxpayer value remains to be fully realized.
- The success in procurement could serve as a model for other state agencies and departments
- The platform’s ability to identify inefficiencies and drive compliance may lead to standardization across government operations
- Questions remain about long-term maintenance costs and the need for continuous system updates to maintain effectiveness
Recent Stories
DOE fusion roadmap targets 2030s commercial deployment as AI drives $9B investment
The Department of Energy has released a new roadmap targeting commercial-scale fusion power deployment by the mid-2030s, though the plan lacks specific funding commitments and relies on scientific breakthroughs that have eluded researchers for decades. The strategy emphasizes public-private partnerships and positions AI as both a research tool and motivation for developing fusion energy to meet data centers' growing electricity demands. The big picture: The DOE's roadmap aims to "deliver the public infrastructure that supports the fusion private sector scale up in the 2030s," but acknowledges it cannot commit to specific funding levels and remains subject to Congressional appropriations. Why...
Oct 17, 2025Tying it all together: Credo’s purple cables power the $4B AI data center boom
Credo, a Silicon Valley semiconductor company specializing in data center cables and chips, has seen its stock price more than double this year to $143.61, following a 245% surge in 2024. The company's signature purple cables, which cost between $300-$500 each, have become essential infrastructure for AI data centers, positioning Credo to capitalize on the trillion-dollar AI infrastructure expansion as hyperscalers like Amazon, Microsoft, and Elon Musk's xAI rapidly build out massive computing facilities. What you should know: Credo's active electrical cables (AECs) are becoming indispensable for connecting the massive GPU clusters required for AI training and inference. The company...
Oct 17, 2025Vatican launches Latin American AI network for human development
The Vatican hosted a two-day conference bringing together 50 global experts to explore how artificial intelligence can advance peace, social justice, and human development. The event launched the Latin American AI Network for Integral Human Development and established principles for ethical AI governance that prioritize human dignity over technological advancement. What you should know: The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, the Vatican's research body for social issues, organized the "Digital Rerum Novarum" conference on October 16-17, combining academic research with practical AI applications. Participants included leading experts from MIT, Microsoft, Columbia University, the UN, and major European institutions. The conference...