Automation Anywhere: the process automation revolution is here
A new term to remember: RPA. Robotic Process Automation is a technology that allows you to automate business processes with bots that interact with business apps mimicking the behavior of an operator. Automation Anywhere is the world leader with a constantly evolving RPA platform.
Cloud, 5G, Software as a Service, Blockchain, Machine Learning. These are the ” buzzwords ” more easily associated with the digital transformation in recent times. The list should be updated quickly by adding RPA: Robotic Process Automation.
The Imagine Automation Anywhere event that was held in the past few days London, and that in the coming months will also touch other cities in the USA, Japan and India, clearly demonstrated how automating processes is becoming an essential part of any company’s digital strategy.
Automation Anywhere: A bot for every process
RPA is born from a very simple concept. Have a software perform all those repetitive activities with little added value that today are performed by operators in front of a computer screen? The differentiating element of the RPA compared to other forms of automation lies in the fact that the RPA bots mimic the behavior of an operator and can be integrated in any operating environment.
RPA systems are not invasive and do not require complex integration with existing systems. The RPA platforms are based on the creation of bots that can be configured by the same non-technical users, who normally perform the functions they want to automate. Implementing RPA solutions allows not only to obtain cost savings, but also to free up resources in the company for higher value-added activities.
In the vision of Mihir Shukla, CEO of Automation Anywhere, bots become true ” digital colleagues ” and automating repetitive processes makes work more ” human “. In a first phase of adoption of the automation solutions, the immediate cost savings that are obtained allow to have a high ROI and become an excellent sales element.
However, starting to integrate process automation solutions to optimize costs is only the first step, because after the first results obtained, the true value of automation is perceived. Finance can be implemented on strategic planning, Human Resources on the well-being of employees.
This philosophy is also found in the way that Automation Anywhere’s client companies can have access to different bots for specific tasks. A real Bot Store has been created, where it is possible to download preconfigured bots for specific activities and applications and also for the ” Digital Workers ” with lots of skills.
You can then download a ” Digital AWS IT Admin ” which has the skills to create EC2 instances, reset user passwords and generate reports. The Digital AWS IT Admin will work alongside an engineer who specializes in managing AWS infrastructures for those repetitive tasks related to his digital skills on which he was trained.
The next step is to equip the bots with independent learning capabilities, and the solution proposed by Automation Anywhere is IQ Bot 6.5, a solution based on Artificial Intelligence that allows bots to automatically analyze documents, understand writing and recognize text in 190 languages. IQ Bot can also process images acquired with the new Automation Anywhere app and exploit advanced algorithms to classify documents.
University research shows that automation is not a threat to work
Automation and Artificial Intelligence are often perceived, erroneously, as a threat to the future of work. Automation Anywhere supported a research by Goldsmiths, University of London, conducted by Dr. Chris Brauer, Director of IMS (Innovation in the Institute of Management Studies) which showed that workers do not fear automation, but that companies will have to overcome several challenges to enable technology to scale.
72% of the 4,000 employees of large companies that were interviewed said that technology is a support for their work rather than a tool to replace them. 57% believe that Automation and Artificial Intelligence will enable an increase in productivity, and 66% would like to have more information on how AI could help them in their work.
Despite the curiosity, only 38% use automation to support their work and the research has identified five areas that affect the adoption of automation and AI: technology, skills, diversity, authenticity and resilience.
From what we’ve seen at the Imagine Automation Anywhere event, the potential of automation is truly remarkable and companies of any size can get immediate benefits from the adoption of RPA solutions. For more information on Automation Anywhere you can consult the official website here.
