Operational excellence has become a critical differentiator in an increasingly competitive and unpredictable marketplace. As organisations navigate increasing market volatility, evolving customer expectations, and growing operational complexity, the role of the Chief Operating Officer has never been more strategic. Beyond overseeing day-to-day execution, COOs are now expected to drive efficiency, resilience, scalability, and innovation across the enterprise.Recognising this transformation, The ET Most Innovative AI Product Awards 2026 has introduced the category “ Most Innovative AI Product for COOs”, dedicated to celebrating AI-powered breakthroughs that are redefining operational leadership and enabling businesses to operate with greater intelligence and agility. Traditionally, workflow optimisation relied on fragmented data, manual processing and decision-making. Today, artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing this landscape by enabling organisations to move towards predictive, automated and data-driven operating models. AI-powered solutions are helping COOs gain unprecedented visibility across functions, allowing them to identify inefficiencies, anticipate disruptions, and make faster, more informed decisions.This category recognises products that address critical operational challenges across areas such as supply chain management, workforce planning, asset lifecycle optimisation, production efficiency, procurement, logistics, and enterprise workflow orchestration. By integrating real-time intelligence with advanced automation capabilities, these solutions enable organisations to improve productivity while reducing costs and operational risks.A defining characteristic of next-generation operational AI platforms is their ability to transform large volumes of enterprise data into actionable insights. Through machine learning, predictive analytics, digital twins, and intelligent automation, these products can forecast demand fluctuations, optimize resource allocation, predict equipment failures, and enhance coordination across business functions. This empowers operational leaders to shift from reactive management towards proactive and strategic execution.The impact of AI within the COO ecosystem extends far beyond efficiency gains. In an era where business continuity, adaptability, and resilience have become competitive differentiators, intelligent operational platforms are helping enterprises build stronger foundations for long-term growth.Through this category, the awards aim to recognise organisations developing transformative AI products that are reshaping the future of operations. As enterprises increasingly embrace intelligent decision-making, these innovations are setting new benchmarks for operational excellence, enterprise resilience, and sustainable business performance.Nominations have been extended until July 15th. Submit your entry today and seize the opportunity to gain industry-wide recognition for your AI innovation.