Intelligent automation (also known as intelligent process automation) and artificial intelligence (AI) are revolutionizing organizations, both large and small, by streamlining processes and unlocking new opportunities for efficiency and innovation. This article will delve into intelligent automation, its benefits, in-house intelligent automation platforms vs. Automation as a Service, the relationship between AI and intelligent automation, and best practices for ensuring automation success.
What is Intelligent Automation?
Understanding the concept of intelligent automation
Intelligent automation (IA) refers to the use of AI and automation technologies to automate business processes. It involves using robotic process automation (RPA), machine learning, and other cognitive technologies to replace manual and repetitive tasks with automated workflows. This allows organizations to accelerate their processes, increase efficiency, and reduce the need for human intervention.
Difference between intelligent automation and traditional automation
Intelligent automation goes beyond traditional automation by incorporating AI capabilities. While traditional automation focuses on automating specific tasks, intelligent automation aims to automate entire end-to-end processes. By leveraging AI technologies such as natural language processing, large language models (LLMs), intelligent document processing (IDP), and AI-enabled computer vision, intelligent automation can handle unstructured data and perform complex decision-making tasks.
How artificial intelligence is integrated into intelligent automation
Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in enabling intelligent automation. It provides the intelligence and decision-making capabilities necessary to automate complex processes. By utilizing machine learning algorithms, AI-powered automation systems can continuously learn and improve over time, optimizing processes and driving innovation.
Benefits of Intelligent Automation
Increased productivity through automation
One of the key benefits of intelligent automation is increased productivity. By automating manual and repetitive tasks, employees can focus on more strategic and value-added activities. This not only improves efficiency but also allows organizations to make the most of their human capital, driving innovation and growth.
Use cases for intelligent automation
Intelligent automation can be applied to many use cases across different industries. For example:
Data Extraction: Intelligent automation leverages AI techniques such as machine learning and NLP to extract unstructured data from any business document (e.g., Invoices, Purchase Orders, Contracts, etc.). The automation toolsets understand the context of the document, reduce the noise in documents, and improve their accuracy as they extract data. Once captured, this data can be utilized downstream to automate manual business processes.
Data Entry and Update: AI-enabled automations can integrate company systems and update databases in different business functions such as HR, customer services, or sales. For example, intelligent automation can extract data from customer service interactions, emails, reports, enterprise applications, etc., to update information such as cloud-based CRM data and legacy system Customer Master records.
Back-Office Tasks: Intelligent automation can automate complex back-office processes that involve tedious, repetitive, manual tasks across complex systems and applications (e.g., Accounting Reconciliations, Payroll to GL integrations, Employee onboarding and offboarding, etc.). Back-office automations can eliminate labor costs, errors, and re-work, with a direct positive impact on critical metrics such as stakeholder satisfaction, cash flow, and employee engagement.
These are just a few examples of how intelligent automation can be applied in a business context. The possibilities are vast and can be tailored to specific business needs.
How intelligent automation accelerates business processes
Intelligent automation accelerates business processes by eliminating bottlenecks and automating time-consuming activities. By automating workflows, organizations can reduce manual errors, empower employees, improve consistency, and achieve faster turnaround times. This enables organizations to be more agile and responsive to market demands, driving competitive advantage.
IA Deployment Option #1
Acquire an Intelligent Automation Platform
The role of an intelligent automation platform
Successfully automating business processes requires a strong and scalable foundation of automation tools. An intelligent automation platform acts as the foundation for implementing intelligent automation. It provides a centralized platform where organizations can design, deploy, and manage automated workflows. With an intelligent automation platform, organizations can streamline their processes, increase visibility, and ensure compliance with regulations.
Features and capabilities of an intelligent automation platform
An intelligent automation platform typically includes features such as intelligent document processing, process mining, workflow automation, and business process management. It allows organizations to identify opportunities for automation, design and deploy workflows, and monitor and optimize performance. Additionally, intelligent automation platforms often integrate machine learning capabilities, enabling organizations to leverage AI technologies in their automation efforts.
IA Deployment Option #2
Utilize an Automation as a Service Firm
Understanding Automation as a Service
Automation as a Service (AaaS) is a cloud-based offering that automates repetitive tasks, implementing robotics and AI to increase efficiency, reduce costs, and eliminate human error. It allows employees to focus on strategic activities and provides real-time monitoring and analytics for data-driven decisions. It also removes the need for expensive infrastructure and intelligent automation platform software licenses, accelerating digital transformation while achieving significant time and cost savings.
Benefits of using Automation as a Service instead of an in-house intelligent automation platform
Using Automation as a Service (AaaS) instead of investing in an intelligent automation platform offers several advantages, such as reduced upfront investment and complex implementation processes. AaaS provides a cloud-based service, eliminating the need to maintain and upgrade hardware and software systems. Utilizing an AaaS firm’s automation developers also provides faster deployment with quicker time-to-value. AaaS ensures organizational access to the latest features and functionalities with minimal effort. Overall, AaaS provides a rapid, flexible, cost-effective, and hassle-free approach to implementing intelligent automation.
Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Automation
Exploring the relationship between AI and intelligent automation
Artificial intelligence and intelligent automation are closely intertwined. While AI provides the intelligence and decision-making capabilities, RPA-based intelligent automation applies those capabilities to automate business processes. Together, AI and intelligent automation enable organizations to achieve higher levels of efficiency and innovation, driving digital transformation.
How AI-powered automation enhances business processes
AI-powered automation enhances business processes by adding intelligence and cognitive capabilities. For example, AI-powered automation can analyze customer feedback and sentiment, allowing organizations to make data-driven decisions and improve customer satisfaction. By leveraging AI technologies, intelligent automation can make sense of vast amounts of data and provide valuable insights for optimizing processes.
Ensuring Automation Success
Best practices for implementing intelligent automation
Implementing intelligent automation requires careful planning and execution. Some best practices include conducting a thorough assessment of current processes, identifying automation opportunities, selecting a smaller proof-of-concept (POC) automation project to start, and involving stakeholders in the design and implementation process. As the organization expands its automation footprint, it should create an automation Center of Excellence (COE) to manage and execute organizational automation strategy. Additionally, organizations should prioritize change management to ensure smooth adoption and maximize the benefits of intelligent automation.
Overcoming challenges in automation adoption
While intelligent automation offers numerous benefits, organizations may face challenges in its adoption. These challenges can include resistance to change, lack of technical expertise, and concerns about job displacement. Organizations should address these challenges by providing training and support, emphasizing the value proposition of intelligent automation, and involving employees in the automation journey.
Measuring the impact and ROI of intelligent automation
To evaluate the success of intelligent automation initiatives, organizations should measure the impact and return on investment (ROI). This can be done by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) such as process cycle time, error rates, cost savings, and employee satisfaction. By measuring the impact of intelligent automation, organizations can identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions to further optimize their processes.
AI and Intelligent Automation: A Catalyst for Business Success
AI-enabled intelligent automation is revolutionizing business processes, cutting costs, and enhancing productivity. Using AI technology is now a necessity to stay ahead in today’s competitive market for customers, clients, and employees. Don’t get left behind – contact us to begin your intelligent automaton journey today and stay ahead of your competition.