The phrase “intelligent automation” reflects that RPA on its own is not a cognitive technology, but there is potential value in making it “smarter.” The general theme here is greater integration among processes and systems, as well as greater integration and alignment between complementary technologies, such as process mining, RPA, and AI disciplines such as computer vision or machine learning.
Plenty of experts note that AI and automation done right will still require a lot of human interaction and oversight. But the relatively mundane RPA bot of today may soon be able to do much more of the heavy lifting involved in process automation itself.
“As these next couple of years unfold, this stack will take on new levels of integration and capability. As enterprises re-cast themselves as digital natives, processes based on outcomes and contextual automation for their customers and workers will be fundamental. By the middle of the decade, or in some cases, next year, we’ll be able to automate the process of automation, and once this moment happens, the enterprise will be able to rewrite itself.”
Stephen DeWitt, Chief Strategy Officer, Automation Anywhere
Stephen DeWitt and others see far greater possibilities in the future based on more integration between complementary technologies. DeWitt even anticipates the beginnings of “autonomous automation” in 2021 – that is, bots that can themselves automate processes.
