Airtable, the $11.7 billion company known for its spreadsheet-database hybrid, has just unveiled a game-changing AI feature that could revolutionize how businesses create and manage their workflows.

This new addition, called Omni, is more than just a feature - it's a complete paradigm shift for the company and its users. In this post, we'll take a deep dive into Airtable's AI feature, exploring its capabilities, limitations, and potential impact on workflow automation.

How Airtable's AI Feature Claims to Revolutionize Workflow Creation

Omni, Airtable's new AI feature, is designed to simplify and accelerate the process of creating custom workflows and applications. Here's a breakdown of its key capabilities:

• Building custom apps with AI assistance
• Importing data and using pre-made prompts
• Real-time spreadsheet creation and interface design

The interface is reminiscent of other AI app builders, with a chat interface on the left and a preview on the right. However, instead of building a website or app, Omni creates a spreadsheet in real-time, complete with data, interfaces, and even automated workflows.

​Omni is a new AI feature that is "really more than just a feature"; based off their release, it represents a pivot to AI first.​

When starting with Airtable, be sure to choose the Omni option above if you want to use AI to build the app.

Exploring Omni AI in Airtable: A Hands-on Demo

Creating an SEO Tracker App

To test Omni's capabilities, we started by creating an SEO tracker app. With a simple prompt, Omni built out a comprehensive app including:

• Title, SEO description, and tags fields
• Keyword and web page tabs
• Automated metadata and keyword targeting
• AI-generated descriptions and summaries

The AI even created agents with custom instructions for tasks like generating SEO descriptions, demonstrating its potential for automated workflows.

I was impressed with what the AI did here and how it filled the fields with relevant SEO data just from the initial prompt.

Let's now try it out with building something a little more complex. A CRM for a sales team.

Building a Custom CRM for Sales Teams

Next, we tested Omni's ability to create a CRM for tracking sales meetings. The results were impressive:

• Meeting logs and a meeting calendar
• Meeting analysis with visual representations of data
• Lead status tracking and reporting
• AI-designed meeting logs and lead management

This customizable CRM solution showcases Omni's potential to create tailored business tools on the fly.

The Power of No-Code AI Automation in Airtable

Omni's strength lies in its ability to customize workflows with AI assistance. Users can create agents for specific tasks, leveraging AI for data analysis and insights. This no-code approach to AI automation opens up new possibilities for businesses of all sizes.

Some key benefits include:

• Rapid prototyping of custom business applications
• Automated data entry and analysis
• Customizable AI agents for specific business needs

Limitations and Future Potential of Airtable's AI Feature

While Omni shows great promise, it's not without limitations. Currently, it struggles with more complex integrations and API connections. For example, when asked to create a workflow that pulls monthly search data for keywords, Omni couldn't complete the task.

However, these limitations also point to areas of potential growth:

• Enhanced integration capabilities with third-party services
• More advanced data analysis and reporting features
• Expanded customization options for AI agents

How AI-Powered CRM Builder Enhances Business Operations

The ability to quickly build custom CRM solutions is one of Omni's most exciting features. This functionality can significantly enhance business operations by:

• Tailoring CRM solutions to specific business needs
• Streamlining sales processes with custom Airtable apps
• Providing automated data insights for improved decision-making

By allowing businesses to create bespoke CRM systems, Omni empowers teams to work more efficiently and effectively, focusing on their unique workflows and requirements.

Airtable Omni Review: My Thoughts

Airtable Omni feels like Airtable’s AI-assisted on‑ramp: you describe what you want in a chat on the left, and it spins up tables and interfaces in real time on the right.

In testing, it got a working base running quickly—almost like having an Airtable consultant do the initial setup for you. The experience is clean, approachable, and a helpful way to get from idea to something usable without starting from a blank grid.

Where Omni stands out most (for now) is jump‑starting structured apps such as a lightweight, custom CRM that matches how your business actually works. It asks follow‑up questions, links related tables, and builds basic interfaces so you can start entering data right away.

Once that data lives inside Airtable, Omni’s ability to help you explore and analyze it may become even more valuable than the initial build step.

That said, Omni isn’t a full automation engine yet. In practice it didn’t create all the automations we wanted (e.g., in an SEO tracker test), can’t currently pull data from external APIs like keyword tools, and won’t build complex, end‑to‑end workflows without human effort.

Treat it as a head start: let Omni scaffold, then refine, connect services, and add business logic yourself. Because you can try it on a free Airtable plan, the risk is low—spin up a small real project and see how far it takes you.

Airtable's Omni feature represents a significant step forward in the world of no-code automation and AI-assisted workflow creation. Its ability to rapidly prototype custom applications, automate data analysis, and create tailored business tools makes it a powerful asset for companies looking to streamline their operations.

While there's still room for improvement, particularly in terms of integration capabilities, Omni's potential to revolutionize how businesses approach workflow automation is clear. As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more sophisticated and powerful applications of AI in business process management.

We encourage you to try out Omni and share your experiences. The world of AI-powered workflow automation is just beginning to unfold, and tools like Airtable's Omni are leading the charge.

Want to learn more about no-code tools and how they can transform your business? Sign up for No Code MBA at https://nocode.mba/sign-up and start your journey towards efficient, AI-powered workflow automation today.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is Airtable's new AI feature called?

Airtable's new AI feature is called Omni.

Can Omni create custom CRM systems?

Yes, Omni can create custom CRM systems tailored to specific business needs, including features like meeting logs, calendars, and lead management.

What are some limitations of Airtable's AI feature?

Currently, Omni has limitations in complex integrations and API connections. It may struggle with tasks that require pulling data from external sources.

How does Omni enhance workflow automation?

Omni enhances workflow automation by allowing rapid prototyping of custom applications, automating data entry and analysis, and creating customizable AI agents for specific business needs.

Is Airtable's AI feature free to try?

Yes, you can try out Omni on a free Airtable account.

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