The Future-Proof BA: Why Human Insight Still Matters in the Age of AI
The Future-Proof BA: Why Human Insight Still Matters in the Age of AI
Why Business Analysts Are More Valuable Than Ever
In consulting, speed and precision are everything, it’s how we stand out and ensure continuity with our clients.
In 2025, AI tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Co-Pilot, In-House consulting LLMs and automated workflow platforms are transforming how we process data, speed up decision making, and generate hypothesis – which all contribute to the ability for a BA to have some extra time back to make that extra cup of coffee. (A true milestone for any BA)!
But there’s a catch:
AI can identify patterns, but not context.
AI can deliver answers, but not ask the right questions.
AI can analyse history, but not always guide vision.
This is where the modern Business Analyst comes in.
The Evolved Role of the Business Analyst in Consulting
Today's BA isn't just gathering requirements, building process workflows or chasing the client for specific updates when they emphasise a desired new functionality to be built (okay, they’re definitely still doing the last one).
In-fact, they’re doing three high-impact things - that typically AI has not yet mastered:
Framing the Problem: AI needs direction. BAs ensure the right questions are being asked to solve real business problems to improve features, functionalities and components within a system.
Humanising Data: Not every insight is actionable. BAs assess feasibility, align with stakeholder goals, and prioritise with empathy and customers needs at the forefront.
Driving Change: Implementation is still a human endeavour. BAs are critical in working with business stakeholders and technical architects[MOU1] [OS2] to carve the strategic vision into a technical solution and eventually into tangible features which can be built and tested.
How a BAs responsibilities have transitioned with the advancements of AI
Before AI: Business Analysts leaned in more to complete manual tasks, spent more time on analysis and categorising findings. Refinement of user stories and chasing up open questions was time-consuming.
Initial Phase of AI: Business Analysts learnt new skills and concepts to become more efficient and automate tasks. Yet, the connection between data and better decision making was lacking, with LLMs spitting out generic responses rather than human-centric insights
As AI continues to develop: Business Analysts will be more adaptable and savvier in their techniques, with time freed up in manual tasks through advanced AI automations – resulting in more focus on fostering connections, understanding of stakeholder needs on a deeper level, and ability to drive solutions that truly resonate with the people they serve.
Let’s bring to life projects where I’ve played a Business Analyst, both before, during and AI advances.
Case Studies: (Examples of projects I’ve played a Business Analyst, speeding up manual tasks, yet not negating the need for human centric engagement and empathy)
New Product-Set Development & Implementation: Financial Services & Insurance
Back in 2021, AI wasn’t quite the buzzword it is today. Sure, a few tools had early AI features, but they flew under the radar—no real hype, no widespread adoption.
As a Business Analyst, workshops and stakeholder interviews meant relying solely on fast notetaking and memory. No automated transcripts. No LLMs to generate summaries. No instant epic extraction or persona suggestions.
It was all manual—slow, repetitive, and demanding. But for those of us in the BA world, it was the norm.
What stood out then (and still does now) was the undeniable focus on understanding people. The technology to support a BA was limited, which resulted in double the workload.
That was until the entrance of large language models. Which changed everything.
Building an online portal on SF Experience Cloud - Supply Chain
By 2023, AI started to become a buzzword—with real use cases emerging across industries. Automation was gaining ground, and tools were starting to reshape how we approached data and decision-making.
As a Business Analyst, I saw this firsthand. One of my early experiences involved using an AI-powered survey tool to summarise open-ended feedback around designing a customised online portal for a client. While the tool quickly delivered sentiment summaries, the results lacked depth - they felt extremely robotic.
That’s when it became clear: AI can support, but it can’t replace.
Stakeholder interviews were still essential to uncover the nuance and emotion behind the data insights that no algorithm could yet generate.
AI helped reduce manual tasks, but the human judgment, critical thinking, and empathy needed to define and design meaningful solutions - that needed more work.
Jira Workflow Automations - Media, Gaming & Telecoms
In 2024, AI evolved from a buzzword to a core part of the Business Analyst dictionary - whether we planned for it or not.
I leaned in. If a tool had AI features, ADO, Smartsheet, Jira - I learned it.
On this consulting project, Jira became essential for managing the user story backlog. AI-assisted prompts helped refine stories, flag updates, and improve visibility through dynamic dashboards. Routine tasks became faster and more standardised - yet a friendly ping over Teams or Slack was still always required.
But while AI accelerated delivery, it didn’t replace the need for human insight. Uncovering real business challenges still demanded in-person engagement, emotional intelligence, and adaptability—especially as many clients were still new to AI tools.
As AI reshapes how we work, it reminds us why we work: to understand, connect, and solve for people.
Without human interpretation, AI output would be redundant.
With human interpretation and AI output - well, that’s when the modern BA shines.
Concluding Thoughts:
You’re no longer just an analyst. You’re an interpreter, a translator, and a strategist. Your role is to guide AI, not compete or fear it.
If you're a BA navigating the AI age – let’s connect.
Drop a comment:
How has AI changed your role as BA —or how do you think it will in the next year?
