In an economy defined by complexity and constant efficiency pressure, companies are urgently searching for the next big lever. Many believe they have found it in artificial intelligence, relying on tools like ChatGPT to generate text or create images. But that is like using a high-performance car merely as a radio.
German strategist and single father Patrick Schillgalies recognized this early. Out of necessity, to reconcile professional excellence and private responsibility without friction, he developed an approach that goes far beyond classical assistant AI. In his own daily life, he tests and lives the system, aiming for autonomous systems to take on operational responsibility and relieve humans from repetitive work. This allows people to focus where they are unbeatable: thinking strategically, designing creatively, and making human decisions.
A Vision Ahead of Its Time
Long before »agentic AI« became a buzzword, Schillgalies stood out as one of the first users of Manus. The platform recognized his practical understanding of complex workflows and officially designated him as a Power User. Even during the beta phase, he was invited to personal discussions with the company’s leadership to provide feedback and discuss concrete use cases from practice. This feedback was directly incorporated into Manus’ further development. The subsequent acquisition of the technology by Meta for over two billion US dollars demonstrates the scope and value of the platform.
Schillgalies recognized early on that AI must not merely assist but autonomously execute tasks from start to finish, including research, software operation, and complex decision-making. His foresight and practical approach were already highlighted in a Founders Magazine article nearly a year ago, giving him a strategic advantage that benefits his clients and earns him international recognition.
Based on his professional experience, combined with formal training in marketing, media design, and hands-on learning at the Manus Academy, as well as a Strategic Foresight certification from the World Economic Forum, Schillgalies is currently ranked among the top 15 experts worldwide for agentic systems by Manus itself – a rare combination of practical experience, strategic thinking, and technological depth, placing him at the forefront in Germany.
What Are Agentic Workflows?
Agentic workflows are autonomous process chains in which AI agents interpret goals, make decisions, independently use digital tools, and execute tasks from start to finish – without continuous human supervision. While classical AI tools can only assist selectively, agentic workflows form the foundation for what Schillgalies has implemented with his Business Operating System (BOS).
The Business Operating System (BOS): An Innovative Operating System for Humans and Companies, from Germany
Parallel to his work with next, the agency brand of manager review GmbH, Schillgalies executed numerous projects for mid-sized companies – from manufacturing operations to logistics firms and service providers. These practical experiences fed directly into the private development of the BOS.
The BOS is more than a software solution; it is an integrated, adaptive organizational system that seamlessly connects human work, digital tools, and even physical robots. Routine tasks, complex processes, and strategic decisions are autonomously orchestrated, allowing employees to focus on creative, strategic, and ethical tasks. The system adjusts decisions, workflows, and resources in real time, triggers processes automatically, and delegates tasks to relevant interfaces, employees, or robots as needed.
This deep integration ensures that companies are not only relieved in the short term but also remain resilient, scalable, and future-proof over the long term. A single goal or decision within the BOS can trigger an entire process – from accounting to sales to production – while complying with all legal requirements and internal company policies. Unlike fragmented AI tools, it generates real value across all departments, allowing humans to intervene only where they are most needed or wish to act.
From System Design to Measurable Impact
A concrete example demonstrates the impact: At Brumley Tex, a mid-sized embroidery company in Emsdetten, a single customized BOS workflow automated the tasks of an employee retiring due to age while simultaneously optimizing sales processes. The results were impressive: a 30% increase in revenue, no new hires, and significant relief for the existing team. This illustrates that automation is not about making people work faster but about creating a self-learning system that continuously optimizes and scales.
Extending Autonomy to the Physical World
Schillgalies has already prepared workflows and interfaces to integrate the humanoid robot Neo from 1x. The workflows are thoroughly tested and designed in close collaboration with care homes and private households to take over logistical tasks or support care-dependent individuals, allowing humans to focus more on interpersonal interaction. At the same time, the BOS is flexible enough to control industrial robots in production and logistics. Contracts with a care home in the Münsterland region are already secured, and the delivery to Germany is eagerly awaited. In this way, Schillgalies is among the first customers worldwide to integrate a new megatrend into his holistic system.
The genius of the BOS lies in its adaptive ecosystem, where digital agents, human decision-making, and physical robots collaborate, continuously learning, setting priorities, and autonomously optimizing processes. While many AI solutions are limited to selective assistance, the BOS orchestrates the entire operation of a company, leaving humans to intervene only where needed or explicitly desired.
Strategic Relevance and Forward-Looking Insight
Schillgalies himself could hardly have imagined that by January 2026, he would have to choose between appointments at the World Economic Forum in Davos or invitations to tech companies in California. This demonstrates that genuine relevance is created through value generation – and that it can emerge from Germany’s technological innovation. It underscores the importance of involving a Strategic Foresight expert early in corporate development. Even competent entrepreneurs cannot know everything; in turbulent times, it is crucial not merely to maintain an apparent success trajectory but to identify potential, seize opportunities, and implement new technological possibilities. This is exactly where Schillgalies provides guidance.
A Glimpse into the Future
Patrick Schillgalies lives and tests the BOS daily as a single father. The workflows and interfaces are ready to deploy Neo in care homes and private households, with the same technology capable of integrating industrial robots in manufacturing. This approach gives his clients a decisive head start and demonstrates how the future of work can be organized not just intelligently but autonomously.
