AI Vision for IBM i Automation
Traditional approaches to IBM i automation chain two brittle systems together: OCR templates that break when document layouts change, and coordinate-based scripts that break when screens change. LegacyBridge replaces both with AI vision — a single intelligent system that reads documents like a human, understands green screens semantically, and maps data from one to the other based on meaning, not position.
Why Traditional Automation Breaks
- ✗OCR templates are rigid — one template per document layout. A new vendor invoice format means a new template to build and test
- ✗Screen-scraping scripts use hardcoded row/column coordinates. A single field added to an IBM i screen breaks the entire automation
- ✗Two separate fragile systems (OCR + scripting) multiply failure points and maintenance burden
- ✗Error recovery is scripted — unexpected screens, validation messages, or workflow branches cause silent failures or incorrect entries
How AI Vision Automation Works
Document Understanding
AI vision reads and comprehends the full document — not just individual characters. It understands that “Total Due” next to “$4,327.50” is an invoice total, regardless of where on the page it appears. It handles layout variations, poor scan quality, mixed fonts, and handwritten annotations without per-document configuration.
Screen Understanding
The AI reads your IBM i green screen semantically, identifying input fields by their labels and surrounding context — not by row and column coordinates. When your screen displays “Customer Number . . .” followed by an input field, the AI knows that field expects a customer number. If the screen layout changes, the AI adapts.
Intelligent Mapping
AI matches extracted document data to terminal fields based on meaning. The “PO #” on an invoice maps to the “Purchase Order Number” field on screen, even if labeled differently. This semantic matching eliminates the brittle field-mapping configurations that traditional integrations require.
Adaptive Entry
The AI handles real-world complexity that breaks scripted automation: unexpected confirmation prompts, validation error messages, multi-screen workflows with conditional branches, and screen variations between IBM i program versions. It reads and responds to each screen in real time rather than following a fixed path.
AI Vision vs. Traditional Automation
| Traditional (OCR + Scripts) | LegacyBridge AI Vision | |
|---|---|---|
| New document layout | Build new OCR template | Works automatically |
| Screen change | Update coordinate mappings | Adapts via semantic reading |
| Error messages | Script each error case | Reads and responds in real time |
| Maintenance | Ongoing template + script updates | Self-improving, minimal upkeep |
What AI Vision Delivers
No Templates
Works with any document layout from any source. New vendors, new forms, new formats — no configuration required per document type.
No Scripts
No coordinate-based screen automation to write or maintain. The AI navigates IBM i screens by understanding their content, not memorizing their layout.
Self-Improving
The system learns from corrections and edge cases. Extraction accuracy and screen navigation improve over time as the AI processes more of your specific documents and workflows.
End-to-End
A single intelligent system from document intake to IBM i data entry. No OCR-to-script handoff, no intermediate data transformation, no integration middleware.
See AI Vision in Action
Watch LegacyBridge read a document and enter data into a live IBM i screen. No templates, no scripts — just AI.
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