From LLMs to Process Intelligence: Closing the Gap between AI and Reality using Object-centric Process Mining

Join the QUT Centre for Data Science and School of Information Systems for a presentation and networking event with Prof. dr. ir. Wil van der Aalst, 'The Godfather of Process Mining' .

Date

Friday, 15th August:
4:30pm to 6pm

Location

QUT, Gardens Point Campus. Room GP-P6 Terrace

Presentation:

Large Language Models (LLMs) have demonstrated impressive capabilities—from summarizing meetings and generating reports to assisting with code development. The broader advancements in generative, predictive, and prescriptive AI are reshaping how organizations approach information work. However, despite these technical breakthroughs, many operational problems persist: delays, missed deadlines, and inefficiencies remain widespread. The root cause lies not in the limitations of AI itself but in the underlying processes that remain opaque, fragmented, or poorly managed.

In this talk, Prof. dr. ir. Wil van der Aalst argues that the absence of process awareness is a critical barrier to realizing the full potential of AI in organizational settings. AI systems are often applied in isolation, without a clear understanding of the end-to-end processes they are intended to support. He will demonstrate how object-centric process mining provides the missing link—offering visibility into real process flows and enabling more meaningful integration of AI. A deeper understanding of the processes is essential to avoid superficial solutions and ensure that AI contributes to measurable operational improvements.

Prof. dr. ir. Wil van der Aalst (RWTH Aachen University)

Chief Scientist, Celonis & Adjunct Professor, QUT

Prof. dr. ir. Wil van der Aalst is a full professor at RWTH Aachen University, where he leads the Process and Data Science (PADS) group. He is also Chief Scientist at Celonis, affiliated with the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology (FIT), and Deputy CEO of the Internet of Production (IoP) Cluster of Excellence. Additionally, he co-directs the RWTH Center for Artificial Intelligence. He is an adjunct professor at Queensland University of Technology.

His research covers a broad spectrum, including process mining, business process management, Petri nets, simulation, workflow automation, and model-based process analysis. With an H-index of 187 and over 162,000 citations according to Google Scholar, he is one of the most cited computer scientists globally. According to Research.com, he is the highest-ranked computer scientist in Germany and ranked 8th worldwide. He has contributed significantly to both academia and industry, shaping the development of process mining tools and standards. He has received honorary degrees from several universities and holds fellowships from IFIP, IEEE, and ACM. He is a member of multiple academies, including the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences and the German Academy of Science and Engineering. In 2018, he received the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Professorship.