A more common way to describe RPA and AI working together simultaneously can be IPA (Intelligent Process Automation) which is a combination of different technologies (RPA + AI included) used to automate more complete, advanced processes.
First off, what even is the difference between RPA and AI?
What is RPA?RPA
- Stands to enhance already existing human workforce
- Imitates human action, and is process driven
- Requires structured data
- Explicitly programmed by a human and so is rule based and requires training
- Usage is mainly in automotive, repetitive tasks
- Cheaper than AI, but still generates significant value and usage
AI
- Enhances automation processes
- Stimulates human intelligence, and is data driven
- Can work with both structured and unstructured data
- Equipped with deductive analysis, and so is based on arithmetical methods, computational intelligence and intelligent, constantly developing algorithms
- Usage can be for analysis, image + voice recognition, deep learning and machine learning
- Very costly, but generates immense value and usage
Overall, it depends on what your industry is. If your industry is in manufacturing, such as assembly line, then RPA is likely the best fit for you. However, if your industry is much more analytics and recognition based (such as medical fields or business), then AI is probably the best fit.
But what if you were in a sector that is able to utilise BOTH RPA and AI? How could they work together?
Examples of such industries can be finance, logistics, back-office business tasks (HR etc) and more.
In a particular environment, such as in the back office of business (HR, management etc.) that manage things like payrolls, or filing certain documents digitally or asking for employee advice (as well as many more).
For things such as digitally filing paper documents, you can feed the document (either in picture, word, pdf or other forms) to the AI for it to utilise its image recognition software for picking up the words from the image and putting it into its digital form. Using the words it has picked up, it can then specify under what category and employee name it should be filed into the RPA, which will file it under the area specified by the AI. This is much, much quicker than having an employee read it, type it up digitally and then file it accordingly. Similarly with payrolls on paydays where the AI can take in data such as the hours each employee has worked and their rates, to work out their monthly payments. The AI can specify the amount and the employee’s (bank) account to the RPA, which can then transfer the money accordingly. As this is all done autonomously, considerably less time is taken up allowing for the other employees (HR or otherwise) to work on more pressing matters such as workplace disagreements.
In cases like employee advice, the business can utilise a chatbot rather than an RPA, as well as an AI. The chatbot can be used as an interface for the user to type up their queries. The chatbot can use its NLU to ‘understand’ the queries. And then passes it onto the AI. The AI, with its deductive analysis and computational intelligence, can suggest an answer that is the best possible fit to the question which is then passed back to the chatbot which displays the answer to the user.
All these methods save up invaluable time and money for the business, granting the chance to have exceeded development and growth. However, not all technology can have its place in every business. As mentioned, it depends on what type of industry and processes you are in. if you invest in technology (such as AI, which is very expensive) and it turns out to be a wrong fit within the business, you can risk wasting large sums of money to gain only a little or a negligible amount of increased efficiency.
