Technological advances in robotic process automation (RPA), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML) for both customer and employee interactions are changing the face of business services.
Technology companies are constantly exploring opportunities into the replication of human intelligence by robots by the emergence of human + machine collaboration. Predictions clearly indicate that, many AI-related technologies can find use across different industries, as shown by the large number of patents being registered by tech giants in AI.
In 2021, Intelligent Automation will advance towards becoming ubiquitous in every single corner of our everyday lives. Here below are some predictions from the industry coupled with my learnings for 2021.
Citizen Developers – will Accelerate Digital Transformation
All these days automation efforts were driven largely by IT as technology initiatives. As more intuitive intelligent automation platforms emerge, business line leaders are becoming empowered to focus automation efforts to drive specific strategic business outcomes. We call them ‘citizen developers’ and they increasingly will partner with IT in a federated model, harnessing intelligent automation to transform information-intensive business workflows. Many organizations today have started implementing automations inspired by Citizen Developers in partnership with IT. This new model creates agility, reduces technical debt and accelerates time-to-value.
Businesses will prepare themselves for High Value Automations
This year 2021, we shall see organizations will prioritize automations that will yield the most value, the soonest. Those are workflows whose ‘DNA’ has the following characteristics:
- Document Intelligence: Workflows that apply cognitive capture and artificial intelligence to unstructured data in order to automate and extract information and unlock data insights
- Process Orchestration: Workflows involving orchestration of digital workflows in collaboration with users, systems and data
- Connected Systems: Workflows involving multiple critical business systems – enterprise applications, legacy systems, mobile, chatbots and more – across internal and external business processes
Automation with Collaboration Tools
Fast forward to 2021 where employees and customers are virtual. Now that organizations turn back to check on digital transformation as the vehicle for driving employee productivity and customer experience, but from a different landscape. We will see some mainstream business cases where collaboration tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet etc. will be used along with automation tools for intelligent automation.
AI-powered chatbots increase in reach
AI-powered chatbots, also known as Conversational AI, will improve reach, responsiveness, and personalization of the customer experience. According to Forrester, AI-based Conversational AI is constantly evolving as a better tool for customer service automation.
Embedded AI Will Accelerate Automation
AI and Machine Learning embedded in intelligent automation platforms will be leveraged as a key accelerator to achieve digital workflow transformation. AI use in 2021 will spread across the masses. Machine Learning (ML), Natural Language Processing (NLP), Intelligent Optical Character Recognition (OCR), Documents Processing and Image Recognition embedded in intelligent automation platforms will empower citizen developers to achieve digital workflow transformation – dramatically elevating productivity levels and accelerating work throughout the enterprise.
What do you think about a Work-From-Home robot? Do you think this will soon be turning into a reality and individuals will have their own robot (or digital assistant)? Please do comment below.
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