You may have heard about Artificial Intelligence and Robotic Process Automation but you may not be aware of how both can be combined to create a productive result.
Before diving into an in-depth discussion about the differences and the combined use of RPA (Robotic Process Automation) and AI (Artificial Intelligence), it is important to understand RPA and AI.
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What is Robotic Process Automation?
RPA is a major automation technology mainly designed for programming robots that can interact with digital frameworks to identify human workflow patterns, mechanize physical efforts, thus making it easier for people to perform repetitive, tedious, and time-consuming tasks.
In fact, RPA is well known for managing rule-based processes where there is a high human mediation, thus, eliminating both non-value-added and time-based tasks off your plate.
Moreover, RPA can help your business grow, without the help of anyone else. Some of the examples that highlight the use of Robotic Process Automation includes;
- Logging into applications.
- Data copying and pasting to different destinations.
- Opening emails, connections, and attachments.
- Automatically accessing system API.
- Rearranging info.
- Scratching data from the websites.
- Extracting and preparing structured content from records.
What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?
AI is an ally of the RPA robots we love. Artificial Intelligence (AI) represents the reconstruction of human intelligence into machines that are adapted to think like humans and emulate their actions.
The term applies to any machine that displays properties similar to that of the human brain, for example, grasping knowledge and problem-solving.
AI can also deal with complex processes and make intelligent decisions by making use of huge data sets to predict many possible outcomes. AI can exceed in things such as;
- Language processing.
- Visual and audio recognitions.
- Document apprehension.
- Track down tasks and initiate automation processes.
- Understanding conversations.
- Managing unstructured or semi-structured data.
RPA vs. AI: Differences and How do RPA and AI work together?
Robotic Process Automation is mostly process-oriented, meanwhile, Artificial Intelligence is data-driven. In simple terms, RPA helps to recover and download sent invoices to the customers and AI algorithms are engineered to extract relevant data like invoice numbers, product details, etc., and help control variability.
Given below are Some of the differences in terms of;
1. Process of working
- AI – Mimic human psyche.
- RPA – Copies human actions.
2. Data Processing and Input
- AI – Controlled by computational analysis.
- RPA – Coded or programmed by a human.
3. Driven by
- AI – Data-driven.
- RPA – Process- Oriented.
4. Enhancements
- AI – Enhance automatic process.
- RPA – Enhances humans with process mechanization.
5. Approach
- AI – Requires intelligence algorithms, expertise in computational intelligence, and statistical data input.
- RPA – Requires a rule-based approach and training.
6. Results
- AI – Voice and image recognition and anticipated analytics.
- RPA – results in automation of monotonous tasks.
When we come to a detailed explanation of the major differences, we have to consider the following differences between RPA and AI.
- RPA is a robotic software that can reflect human activities, whereas AI is the remodeling of human intelligence on machines, making it able to think and act like humans.
- The principle of RPA is to make robots in boring and simple business activities, meanwhile, AI is associated with intelligence that relies on ‘thinking’ and ‘learning’.
- The RPA robot automates the tasks according to the set rules but AI replaces human activity.
- RPA is a cycle-based innovation based on the fact that RPA is unilateral and associated with legal business practices. On the other hand, AI is a data-driven process and it needs a lot of setup to run.
- RPA can have a huge impact on large organizations because they can manage a lot of information without the need for manual contributions. AI allows mobility. It allows the robotization of mobility without involving humans.
Though there are many differences, there is a need for AI and RPA to work together to increase the efficiency of applications, in this world of an automation strategy.
These two collaborative technologies work together to reduce process fat and make the life of laborers easier by rationalizing their own semi-entrepreneurial processes.
Most tedious workflows may seem too easy to RPA, however, in more fast-moving environments, RPA requires intellectual skills to tackle more complex issues. In addition, once equipped with AI, RPA offers great opportunities for companies in the following ways:
- This will lead to higher data handling and automated, data-driven work processes that will no longer use a ton of time like before.
- It replaces human intervention to help deal with bots and streamline unstructured data.
- Employees can zero in on business decisions instead of performing the usual mundane and voluntary tasks that take up most of their calendar time. Now, workers can concentrate on something productive instead.
When RPA is combined with AI domains such as natural language processing or audio and visual recognition, the potential for effective automation increases significantly.
The growth rate at which both these technologies are developing will make it even brighter in the years to come. Many multinational companies including IBM, Google, and Microsoft have adopted both, to enhance their business process.
Use Cases of RPA and AI
Businesses across the world have started installing Robotic Process Automation in different business processes and applications, especially in the Human Resources segment.
It enables businesses to develop a truly virtual workforce that leads to business dynamism and efficiency. Some use cases for RPA include:
Use Cases of RPA
- Sales Analysis
- Store Planning
- Product Classification
- Processing Of Invoice
- Sales Orders
- Managing Payroll
- Refund Processing.
On the other hand, Artificial intelligence is everywhere in some form, and we are communicating with AI daily. Some applications of AI include:
Use Cases of AI
- Digital Assistants
- Social Media
- Self-driving Cars
- Image Recognition
- Machine Learning
- Forecast Management
- Information Technology Management,
- Cybersecurity.
If RPA and AI alone can contribute these many innovations in this digitally advanced world, can you imagine the output we get when both are executed together?!
