CEO @ RD Global. Tech entrepreneur with expertise leading growth strategy, digital transformation, intelligent automation and innovation.
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There is no doubt intelligent automation is here and will shape the future of business. Automation is forcing companies to look at every aspect of their business through a different lens. But just how pervasive it will be is up for debate. Gartner highlights the fact that "hyperautomation" is on the rise, and it is. Embraced by forward-thinking industries, the "automate everything" mindset is very much here to stay.
C-level execs are challenged to wrap their heads around intelligent automation: What it is (keep reading), who can benefit from it (everyone), how it can help their process (in every way), where it should be applied (strategically) and when getting started makes sense (now).
A few critical components underscore the big picture of intelligent automation:
1. Process Optimization
2. RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
3. AI (Artificial Intelligence)
4. Data Analytics (Smart Analytics)
5. End-to-End Custom-Built Automation (e.g., building it right from the start)
It is important to understand these components and how they relate to one another.
Process Optimization: The Hidden Gem Of Automation Efforts
RPA does not make sense for everything. When you embark on your intelligent automation journey, you will have an "a-ha" moment when you realize that (some) processes can be fixed by optimizing the underlying business process and not using a bot. In other cases, it is better to optimize the process before applying RPA to it, which increases the ROI and value of the bot(s). Many RPA automations fail right out of the gate because they fail to choose the right process or optimize the process first. Luckily, there are powerful process- and task-mining tools available to assist in the discovery of the "right" processes to automate.
RPA technology sits on top of existing systems and does not require massive integration efforts or technology uplift. RPA uses bots — "digital workers" that act as a human and mimic human interaction with software programs. So, RPA is the programming of bots to accomplish simple tasks in a particular order, but without a lot of critical thinking involved. The thinking comes in when AI is introduced.
RPA Is A Band-Aid
RPA is hugely important. Automating mundane tasks gives the workforce their time back, allowing them to focus on tasks that require strategic thinking.
RPA companies do not want to hear this, but the reality is that RPA serves to be a quick fix for process problems. To stop the bleeding, if you will. RPA is extremely helpful, but it fails to address the root cause of whatever process or operational problem it is fixing.
AI: The Next Level Up
AI takes RPA and adds a brain to the automation. Creating an automation combined with AI incorporates the ability for the bot to make decisions like a human.
Mimicking human decision-making is extremely complex — that's why we hear a lot of people talking about AI but not a lot of people doing it. It's costly, and it's very difficult to achieve.
With complex algorithms crunching endless amounts of information in order to make a decision like a human, AI will transform the global workforce when enough industries can get ahold of and harness its power.
Today, with RPA, the most common use cases of AI in automation comes in the form of OCR (Optical Character Recognition), ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition) and NLP (Natural Language Processing, not to be confused with Neuro Linguistic Programming).
Data Analytics
The practice of using data for optimization is now commonplace. When applied to automation, however, the comprehensiveness and speed at which relevant information is mined, analyzed and utilized is unparalleled. As intelligent automation proceeds with constant data collection, the ability to improve automations and underlying processes will continuously enhance the value that comes from them. Incredible value can be derived by combining the Triple-A Trifecta combination of Automation, Artificial Intelligence and Smart Analytics.
Custom-Built End-to-End Automation From The Ground Up
When process optimization highlights underlying business process issues, a new door opens for optimized business and technology adoption. Corporations best utilizing intelligent automation are then able to reassess their human assets to determine where custom technology can improve the overall process.
The real value comes from looking at processes end-to-end, redefining what success looks like and coming up with a way to architect that process using technology. In doing so, the focus shifts to creating a custom-built end-to-end automation from the ground up where RPA no longer sits on top of broken processes and the tech stack, instead the automation is built from the ground up to seamlessly interface with all systems.
Automation Acceptance Versus Automation Fear
Using time intelligently is the key to revolutionizing business with technology. The transition to cloud computing highlights a similar path for automation. Pushback is natural, but acceptance is inevitable in time. Over the last decade, corporations accepted that they needed to invest in cloud and IoT. Now, corporate investment in automation is leading spending by a longshot.
At first glance, it may seem like intelligent automation is devaluing people, but in actuality, it's placing an even greater value on people. Automation streamlines the ability to maximize the brainpower of humans and the mundane tasks of digital workers.
Starting The Automation Journey Brings Immediate Value
Here's the big lesson learned: Simply embarking on the intelligent automation journey optimizes a business.
Over the next decade, RPA will be part of every business's vernacular. Automation forces organizations to look inward at processes, people and systems. Optimization happens once companies start asking their workforce questions like, "Are you doing anything in your daily routine that's mundane, tedious or repetitive, and how can we make your job easier so you can work on more strategic things? Let's talk about that process.”
The "robot for every person" mentality was coined by UiPath, and it speaks to the massive opportunity that lies ahead. When society reaches a point where every person has a bot performing mundane tasks, humanity gets back the most valuable asset of all: time.
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