"Intelligent Automation" or intelligent automation?

- What is it?

There is no commonly agreed definition, but loosely speaking, when most people talk about "Intelligent Automation", they are talking about the augmentation of existing automation tool sets, such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA) combined with some form of artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities such as computer vision or Natural Language Processing (NLP).

For me, personally, intelligent automation is more about the intelligent combination of human and machine...

Intelligent automation begins with people, not tools, and requires intelligent decision making and behaviours aimed at producing valuable outcomes; after all, if you don't act intelligently then you can't expect your automation to.

Machines, in the form of automation and AI tools, analytics and APIs, are the necessary enablers to deliver the outcomes, and must provide the ability to autonomously and continually:

• SENSE, monitor and decipher events, receive requests and understand situations
• ANALYSE situations using machine intelligence and critically manage all exceptions
• DECIDE using logic, rules and inference to orchestrate an automated response, and finally...
• ACT by applying the required automation processes and tasks, including escalating to, or interacting with people when necessary

- Why all the hype?

Robotic Process Automation or RPA is the darling of the moment; with its promise of easy wins, quick results and fast ROI, people have jumped on the bandwagon in a big way.

Without this hype and explosion of RPA over the last 24 months and the frankly, ridiculous investments and valuations, "Intelligent Automation" would not be breaking into the limelight today.

For many people, the reality of RPA is somewhat different to the promises. RPA (or robotic desktop or task automation as it should really be called) definitely has its place and serves a purpose, but its application can be limited and has so far seemed to underwhelm. Francis Carden of Pegasystems even went as far as describing it as "Lipstick on a pig's arse". 

Whilst there is evidence that RPA produces good results in certain areas, such as automation of legacy systems that lack APIs, these areas do not stretch far enough across the business landscape to ensure it a long shelf-life. People are starting to wise up...

On one hand, RPA adopters have either given up, or those that are undeterred or experiencing some wins are looking for the next iteration; the next solution to all of their problems that RPA alone is not currently solving or able to solve. On the other, you have the late adopters and laggard businesses, that are yet to have skin in the game, patiently assessing the landscape and waiting for advancements that will motivate them to play. 

The big RPA vendors are aware of this; know they need to act to ensure their heady valuations are maintained and are happy to oblige by taking their existing RPA tools, adding some integration with available artificial intelligence tools and talking about their offerings as "Intelligent Automation".

The next hype cycle is in flight; the term "Intelligent Automation" is now being used as a marketing buzzword aimed at keeping the current adopters engaged and on their automation journey, whilst simultaneously enticing the next frenzy of unsuspecting CxOs to join the ride, fearful that they are missing out on the next big thing.

- What can it do for me?

That really depends on your goals and objectives and whether "Intelligent Automation" or intelligent automation should, can and will help you achieve these.

Like all things in life, it also strongly depends on your focus and commitment to achieving them. 

If you can understand that intelligent automation is not just layering AI on top of RPA, avoid getting carried away with the marketing hype and over-promises, ensure you act intelligently, and understand automation is a journey that will help with the evolution and transformation of your business, you can get great results, whether that is:

• improved customer experience
• improved speed and quality of delivery
• scaled up operations
• redeployment of skills
• reduced costs
• capturing of intellectual property and processes
• or whatever else you are striving for

However, be warned, you cannot play at automation and be successful; the journey will take effort, time (evolution is not necessarily quick), and it will be hard work...change always is.

- How do I get started?

The first step is to go away and identify your goals and objectives...

I'll talk about what's beyond that in a future post.