Artificial intelligence dominated almost every conversation at Directions ASIA 2026, but unlike previous years, the discussion has clearly moved beyond hype. The message from Microsoft, partners, developers, and customers was consistent throughout the event: AI is no longer a future concept sitting on the edge of business software strategy. It is rapidly becoming embedded into the way organisations operate, make decisions, and scale.
For businesses running Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, the shift is significant. The role of ERP is evolving from simply storing information to actively driving action across finance, operations, customer service, procurement, and reporting. For implementation partners like FUJIFILM MicroChannel, this presents a major opportunity to help businesses move beyond experimentation and into measurable outcomes.
FUJIFILM MicroChannel team at Directions Asia 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. From left to right: Nick Rouse, Adair Durie, Lyn Smith, Floyd Gilchrist, Peter White, Carsten Pedersen, Ryan Budge, and Eamonn O'Callaghan.The Big Theme at Directions ASIA 2026: AI Needs to Deliver Real Business Results
One of the most repeated statistics during the keynote sessions was this:
- 78% of SMBs are already using AI in some form
- Only 39% report measurable business impact
That gap became one of the defining conversations of the event.
Many organisations have already adopted tools like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Claude, AI meeting assistants or workflow automation platforms, however adoption alone does not automatically improve productivity, profitability, or decision-making. The challenge now is turning scattered AI usage into structured business transformation.
This is where ERP becomes critical. Rather than treating AI as a standalone tool, Microsoft’s vision is to embed AI directly into operational workflows, business data, and day-to-day decision-making inside Business Central. For businesses, particularly growing mid-market organisations, this matters because disconnected AI usage often creates new problems:
- Inconsistent data
- Governance concerns
- Shadow IT
- Duplicate processes
- Security risks
- Limited visibility into ROI
The businesses seeing the strongest results are not simply “using AI more”. They are integrating AI into their business processes supported by clean operational data.
Business Central is Shifting from a System of Record to a System of Action
One of the clearest strategic messages from Microsoft was the evolution of ERP itself. Historically, ERP solutions functioned as a “system of record”. Their role was to capture transactions and store business data, a place where we could see “what happened” Now with Microsoft’s advancements in AI and Agents, Business Central is a “system of action”. In practical terms, this means Business Central has evolved into a platform that does not just record what happened – it actively helps businesses decide what to do next.
This includes:
- Identifying operational bottlenecks
- Surfacing anomalies
- Suggesting actions
- Automating workflows
- Generating insights
- Triggering and managing processes autonomously
- Supporting decision-making in real time
A key phrase at Directions ASIA was: “People are currently the middleware.” In many organisations today, employees still spend enormous amounts of time manually transferring information between systems, interpreting spreadsheets, entering data into forms, and chasing approvals. Microsoft’s AI-driven ecosystem reduces that dependency. Agents inside Business Central are designed not just to automate repetitive tasks, but to synthesise information from multiple sources and take action intelligently. That represents a substantial shift in how ERP platforms are positioned.
The Rise of the “Agent Manager”
Another emerging concept heavily discussed during the event was the changing role of employees in AI-enabled businesses. Rather than acting as manual operators, employees increasingly become supervisors and managers of AI agents, “humans-in-the-loop”. Microsoft and other presenters showcased how this can be done:
- Users interact with ERP through the Microsoft 365 Copilot interface
- Agents perform operational tasks in the background
- Integrations become increasingly “headless”
- Business users orchestrate workflows instead of manually executing every step
This is part of Microsoft’s broader push towards what it calls an “agentic foundation”. The long-term direction is clear, business applications are becoming increasingly autonomous. For businesses considering Business Central upgrades or digital transformation initiatives, this has major implications for:
- Workforce productivity
- Process design
- Governance
- Security
- Change management
- Data quality
- ERP architecture
Why AI Readiness is Becoming a Critical Business Conversation
One of the strongest takeaways from Directions ASIA 2026 was that AI implementation is not simply a software deployment exercise. Businesses first need to understand their readiness. This is where experienced Business Central partners play an increasingly important role. At FUJIFILM MicroChannel, the conversation around AI is evolving beyond generic demonstrations and marketing hype. Instead, organisations need structured guidance around:
- Current AI usage across departments
- Data readiness and quality
- Governance frameworks
- Security and compliance
- Operational processes suitable for automation
- Copilot and agent use cases
- Integration opportunities
- ROI prioritisation
This is why AI readiness assessments are becoming increasingly valuable. Rather than jumping straight into implementation, businesses benefit from understanding:
- Where they currently sit on the AI maturity curve
- Which operational areas will generate the fastest ROI
- Whether their data environment can support AI-driven decision-making
- Which processes are suitable for agentic automation
- What governance measures need to be established first
Importantly, this conversation should not be separated from ERP strategy. Business Central is becoming one of the core operational foundations that enables scalable AI adoption.
Business Central Wave 1 2026: Key Features That Stood Out
Directions ASIA also provided deeper insight into the Wave 1, 2026 enhancements for Business Central. Several announcements highlighted how rapidly Microsoft is embedding AI into operational workflows.
- Payables AI Agent - The system can create invoices directly from PDFs. Progress tracking and controls are managed within agent settings, helping organisations maintain visibility and governance. For finance teams dealing with high invoice volumes, this has clear potential to reduce manual processing overhead significantly.
- Sales Agent Improvements - Sales Agent now has the ability to read attachments and handwritten notes. This represents a substantial leap in contextual understanding for AI-assisted sales workflows.
- Expense Agent Built into Business Central - Expense Agent simplifies environments where businesses currently rely on multiple third-party tools for expense processing and approvals.
- One Copilot Experience - The rollout of “One Copilot” is to deliver a more unified Copilot experience across Business Central, grounded directly on company data. This is important because fragmented AI experiences remain one of the biggest usability barriers for many businesses today.
- Shopify B2B Expansion - Previously, Shopify B2B capabilities were limited to higher-tier Shopify plans. Microsoft confirmed these capabilities are now available across all Shopify plans, substantially expanding accessibility for SMB retailers and distributors. For businesses running both BC and Shopify, this removes a notable barrier.
- Approval Workflow Expansion - Organisations seeking stronger operational controls and compliance will benefit from the strengthened workflow capabilities throughout more areas including inventory management.
- Developer and AI Innovation - One particularly interesting shift involved how AI is beginning to change Business Central development itself. Our developers have at their fingertips, an immensely powerful set of tools across Copilot and Agentic development that is revolutionising how concepts are converted to reality and delivered to our customers.
Why Partner Choice Matters More Than Ever
As Business Central continues to rapidly build upon its legacy as the first Copilot-enabled ERP, the role of the implementation partner becomes even more important. Businesses are no longer simply selecting an ERP deployment provider.
They are choosing a strategic advisor capable of helping them:
- Align AI initiatives with operational goals
- Build scalable ERP foundations
- Improve data governance
- Modernise processes
- Prioritise automation opportunities
- Navigate security and compliance concerns
- Create measurable ROI from AI investments
This is where experience matters. FUJIFILM MicroChannel has extensive experience delivering Business Central solutions across industries including wholesale distribution, manufacturing, retail, professional services, and field services. More importantly, our approach increasingly focuses on helping organisations bridge the gap between AI experimentation and practical operational outcomes. AI success is not determined by how many tools a business adopts. It is determined by whether those tools improve the way the business actually operates.
The Real Opportunity Ahead
Directions ASIA 2026 made one thing very clear. The next phase of ERP is not simply cloud migration or digitisation. It is operational intelligence. Businesses that combine strong ERP foundations with structured AI adoption are likely to gain substantial advantages in:
- Productivity
- Operational visibility
- Decision-making speed
- Customer responsiveness
- Financial control
- Workforce efficiency
Success will depend heavily on strategy, governance, and execution. The businesses that move fastest without structure may struggle to generate meaningful ROI. The businesses that approach AI with a clear roadmap, supported by experienced partners and modern ERP foundations, are far more likely to turn AI into measurable business value.
Ready to Explore What AI-Driven Business Central Could Look Like for Your Business?
Whether you are already using AI tools or just starting to explore the possibilities, the biggest challenge is knowing where to begin and where real business value can be achieved. FUJIFILM MicroChannel helps businesses assess their AI readiness, identify practical Business Central use cases, and build a roadmap that aligns technology with operational goals. From ERP modernisation and Copilot adoption to automation opportunities and governance planning, our team works with organisations to turn AI ambition into measurable outcomes. Speak with our Business Central specialists today to start the conversation.
Do you have questions about AI-driven Business Central in your business? Get free expert advice from FUJIFILM MicroChannel! Schedule a call back today. No pressure, just helpful insights from our experienced team.
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