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Author: Karl Murray Published: 22 September 2023 Read Time: ~4 minutes

8 Reasons that Robotic Process Automation Needs to Evolve using Artificial Intelligence

Robotic process automation (RPA) has become an increasingly popular solution for businesses looking to streamline their operations and increase efficiency. RPA involves the use of software bots to automate routine, repetitive tasks, freeing up human workers to focus on more complex and value-added tasks. RPA has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes, and it has already been adopted by a wide range of organisations across various industries.

However, in order to continue delivering value to businesses in the long term, RPA needs to evolve to include artificial intelligence (AI). Here are 8 reasons why RPA needs to evolve to include AI:

  1. Improved adaptability: Currently, RPA is limited to performing pre-defined tasks and cannot easily adapt to new situations. This means that if a business introduces a new process or changes an existing one, the RPA bots have to be reprogrammed to handle the new process, which can be time-consuming and costly. By incorporating AI, RPA would be able to learn and adapt as it encounters new situations, making it a more versatile and valuable tool for businesses. This would reduce the need for costly reprogramming and allow the technology to handle a wider range of tasks and situations.
  2. Increased efficiency: AI could allow RPA to learn and improve over time, resulting in increased efficiency. For example, an RPA bot might initially be programmed to handle a specific task in a certain way. However, as it processes more data and encounters different situations, it could learn to adapt and improve its performance. This could result in faster turnaround times and cost savings for businesses.
  3. Increased compliance: AI could allow RPA to automate tasks related to compliance checks, helping organizations to ensure compliance with regulations and policies. For example, a government agency might use RPA and AI to automate the verification of documents, ensuring that all required documents are received and reviewed before a decision is made. This could help to reduce the risk of errors and ensure that the organization is in compliance with all relevant regulations.
  4. Enhanced decision-making capabilities: RPA is currently limited to making simple decisions based on predetermined rules. This means that it is not able to handle more complex or nuanced tasks that require more sophisticated decision-making abilities. By incorporating AI, RPA would be able to make more complex decisions that take into account a wider range of factors. This would enable the technology to handle more complex and nuanced tasks, making it a more valuable tool for businesses.
  5. Improved data analysis: AI could enable RPA to analyse large amounts of data and make more sophisticated and accurate conclusions. This could be particularly useful for businesses that deal with large amounts of data, such as data analytics companies or healthcare organizations. For example, a healthcare organization might use RPA and AI to analyse patient data and make more accurate predictions about treatment outcomes or identify trends and patterns that could help to improve patient care.
  6. Personalization: AI could allow RPA to provide a more personalized experience for customers by analysing customer data and making recommendations based on individual preferences. This could lead to improved customer satisfaction and loyalty. For example, a retail company might use RPA and AI to analyse a customer’s purchase history and make recommendations for related products based on the customer’s individual interests and preferences.
  7. Improved accuracy: AI could enable RPA to make more sophisticated and accurate decisions, leading to fewer errors. For example, an RPA bot might be programmed to route customer inquiries to the appropriate customer service agent based on the customer’s location and the nature of the inquiry. With AI, the bot could also consider factors such as the customer’s past interactions with the company and the agent’s availability and expertise, resulting in a more personalized and accurate routing of the customer’s inquiry.
  8. Increased competitiveness: By incorporating AI, RPA will be able to stay relevant and continue delivering value to businesses in the long term, helping organizations to stay competitive in an increasingly technological market. As businesses increasingly adopt RPA and other technologies, those that are able to stay ahead of the curve and incorporate the latest innovations will be better positioned to compete in the market. By incorporating AI, RPA will be able to continue providing value to businesses in the long term and stay relevant in an increasingly competitive market.

In conclusion, RPA has the potential to significantly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of business processes. However, in order to continue delivering value to businesses in the long term, RPA needs to evolve to include AI.