diff --git a/app/routers/upload.py b/app/routers/upload.py
index 1b40180..7f13239 100644
--- a/app/routers/upload.py
+++ b/app/routers/upload.py
@@ -87,45 +87,23 @@ async def upload_files(
     )
 
     results = []
-    ai_pending = []  # Files needing background AI processing
 
     for upload_file in files:
         try:
             filepath = await file_svc.save_upload(upload_file, user_id)
             filename = Path(filepath).name
 
-            if metadata_source == "ai":
-                # For AI source: save files first, process AI in background
-                file_type = metadata_service.detect_file(filepath)
-                old_metadata = metadata_service.extract_metadata(filepath, file_type)
-                file_result = {
-                    "success": True,
-                    "filename": filename,
-                    "file_type": file_type.value,
-                    "current_metadata": old_metadata,
-                    "suggested_metadata": {"title": "", "subject": "AI processing...", "keywords": ""},
-                    "filepath": filepath,
-                    "metadata_source": "ai",
-                    "ai_status": "pending",
-                }
-                store.add_file_to_session(session_id, file_result)
-                ai_pending.append({
-                    "file_index": len(results),
-                    "filepath": filepath,
-                    "filename": filename,
-                    "file_type": file_type,
-                })
-                results.append(file_result)
-            else:
-                file_result = await metadata_service.process_uploaded_file(
-                    filepath=filepath,
-                    filename=filename,
-                    metadata_source=metadata_source,
-                    lookup=lookup,
-                    import_map=import_map,
-                )
-                store.add_file_to_session(session_id, file_result)
-                results.append(file_result)
+            # Process file through the standard pipeline (including AI inline)
+            file_result = await metadata_service.process_uploaded_file(
+                filepath=filepath,
+                filename=filename,
+                metadata_source=metadata_source,
+                lookup=lookup,
+                import_map=import_map,
+            )
+
+            store.add_file_to_session(session_id, file_result)
+            results.append(file_result)
 
         except ValueError as e:
             results.append({"filename": upload_file.filename, "error": str(e)})
@@ -133,16 +111,10 @@ async def upload_files(
             logger.error(f"Upload error for {upload_file.filename}: {e}")
             results.append({"filename": upload_file.filename, "error": str(e)})
 
-    # Start background AI processing if needed
-    if ai_pending:
-        import asyncio
-        from ..services.ai_service import process_bulk_ai
-        asyncio.create_task(process_bulk_ai(session_id, ai_pending, store, user_id))
-
     # Strip server paths from client response
     safe_results = [{k: v for k, v in r.items() if k != "filepath"} for r in results]
 
-    return {"success": True, "session_id": session_id, "files": safe_results, "ai_processing": bool(ai_pending)}
+    return {"success": True, "session_id": session_id, "files": safe_results}
 
 
 @router.post("/upload-excel")