AI Glossary for SMEs

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses software to automatically execute repetitive tasks, such as copying data from one system to another. For an SME, this means fewer human errors and hours saved every week on manual operations.

BPA goes beyond RPA by automating complete end-to-end business processes, not just individual tasks. For example, automating the entire sales cycle — from receiving a lead to sending the invoice — without manual intervention.

Artificial Intelligence refers to computer systems capable of performing tasks that normally require human intelligence: understanding language, making decisions, recognizing images. For an SME, AI enables automating complex tasks like responding to customers or analyzing data.

An AI voice agent is a system that uses artificial intelligence to conduct natural phone conversations 24/7. It can answer incoming calls, schedule appointments, qualify prospects and transfer complex calls to a human. This is one of SAI's specialties.

A workflow is an automated sequence of actions triggered by an event. For example: when a form is submitted, send an email, create a contact in the CRM and notify the team on Slack. Tools like n8n, Make and Zapier allow creating these workflows without programming.

A CRM is software that centralizes all your interactions with customers and prospects: calls, emails, appointments, sales. It allows tracking every opportunity and never losing a lead. HubSpot, Salesforce and GoHighLevel are popular examples.

An LLM is an AI model trained on vast amounts of text to understand and generate human language. GPT-4, Claude and Llama are examples of LLMs. They can draft emails, summarize documents, answer questions and power voice agents.

GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is the AI model developed by OpenAI behind ChatGPT. ChatGPT is the conversational interface that allows interacting with this model. For an SME, GPT can be integrated into your systems to automate writing, customer service or data analysis.

RAG is a technique that allows an AI to consult your own documents and data before generating a response, instead of relying solely on its training. Result: precise answers based on your internal information, ideal for a business chatbot or voice agent.

An API is a bridge that allows two pieces of software to communicate with each other. For example, an API allows your website to automatically send form data to your CRM. It is the foundation of any automation that connects multiple tools.

Prompt engineering is the art of formulating precise instructions to get the best possible responses from an AI. A good prompt can make the difference between a vague answer and one perfectly tailored to your business need. SAI uses this expertise to configure your AI agents.

NLP is the branch of AI that allows computers to understand, interpret and generate human language. It is thanks to NLP that a voice agent can understand your customers on the phone or that a chatbot can answer questions in natural language.

Machine learning is a subdiscipline of AI where systems learn and improve from data, without being explicitly programmed for every scenario. For example, an ML system can learn to predict which prospects are most likely to buy by analyzing your past sales.

SaaS is software accessible via the internet by subscription, without installation on your computers. Gmail, HubSpot, Slack — these are all SaaS. For an SME, the advantage is not having to manage servers and benefiting from automatic updates.

ROI measures the profitability of an investment: how much each dollar invested returns. In automation, ROI is calculated by comparing the solution cost to the time and money saved. At SAI, our projects typically generate a 300% to 800% ROI in the first year.

Cold email is sending personalized emails to prospects who haven't yet interacted with your business. Combined with AI, it allows personalizing each message at scale and identifying the best send times to maximize response rates.

A webhook is an automatic notification sent from one software to another when an event occurs. For example, when a customer fills out a form, a webhook can instantly trigger the creation of their file in your CRM and sending a welcome email.

ETL is a three-step data process: extract data from different sources, transform it (clean, standardize, enrich), then load it into a target system. SAI uses ETL to clean your B2B data and feed your CRM with reliable information.

A chatbot follows predefined scripts and answers simple questions. An AI agent understands context, makes autonomous decisions and can execute actions (schedule appointments, search databases). SAI deploys AI agents, not simple chatbots.

No-code and low-code platforms allow creating applications and automations without writing code (or almost). Tools like Make, n8n and Zapier are no-code examples. This makes automation accessible to SMEs without needing a developer team.

In AI, a token is a fragment of text (a word, part of a word or punctuation mark) processed by the model. LLM usage costs are billed per token. Understanding tokens helps estimate the operating costs of your AI solutions and optimize your prompts.