Understanding RPA & AI: How Do They Work Together

Complex, end-to-end processes can be easily automated by combining the Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms. This will in turn help humans to work more efficiently. Companies striving for scaling their digital transformation activities can rely on these two (RPA and AI) most sought after technological platforms. In this article, you will get to know the significance of making AI and RPA work in a combined manner.

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?

It is a technological platform through which human intelligence can be simulated by computer systems. Cognitive functions of the human mind such as self-correction, problem-solving etc., are mimicked by the AI platform. A few examples of AI include voice recognition software (Amazon’s ‘Alexa’ and Apple’s ‘Siri’), personalization of social media news feeds, spam email filters etc. Machine Learning (ML) is a crucial component of AI, through which specific programs are developed that help robots to learn and make their own decisions without any human intervention.

What is RPA  (Robotic Process Automation)?

It is a specific technology wherein a developer develops a ‘bot’ or a computer software through which human actions can be emulated and then digital systems can be integrated so that a business process is executed. A User interface is used by these bots to manipulate applications and capture data, just like humans do. Results are interpreted, responses are triggered and communication takes place with other systems in order to perform a variety of repetitive tasks.

What is Intelligent Process Automation (IPA)?

When AI and RPA are combined and work together, then this specific process is known as IPA.

 

Following are a few use cases where IPA can be implemented:

1. The activity of carrying out payroll transactions: Payroll being processed repetitively every month is considered to be a mundane and time-consuming activity for the HR team. A decent amount of effort is required to carry out data entry activities. When data entry is carried out manually, inaccuracies may arise, which may, in turn, lead to payment delays.

The delays can be reduced through the IPA platform by validating timesheets and deductions and the consistency of employee data across multiple systems being checked.

2. Automating corporate inbox: In this scenario, the topic is deciphered, incoming emails are processed and then routed to an appropriate subject expert. For a simple aspect such as a change in address request, the pertinent information and input are extracted by the IPA tool into an appropriate downstream system. The handling of any attachments from emails such as word documents, spreadsheets or PDFs can be extracted and automated by an IPA tool.

The attachments can be efficiently processed by the IPA tool and then the relevant information is extracted so that it can be inputted into another downstream system such as a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, so that future references can be easily processed and stored.

3. Onboarding customers: From the documents of customer onboarding, relevant unstructured data is classified and extracted into an organization’s digital management system. This, in turn, results in enhanced efficiency and accuracy for onboarding new customers, thereby increasing revenue and scaling up customer satisfaction.

4. The value of chatbots: One of the key applications of chatbots is in online shopping portals. Customers, in general, have product queries, distinct orders, different preferences etc., and thus a chatbot service can be implemented. Through this implementation, customers’ shopping experience is enhanced and mundane, repetitive tasks are taken care of.

The data can be fed to an RPA bot by a chatbot, so that specific tasks such as changing delivery dates or quantities can be changed and orders can be cancelled based on certain criteria. Through this, the customer’s shopping experience is enhanced and instant gratification is derived. The burden on customer service executives can also be reduced to quite an extent.

Conclusion: If you are looking forward to implementing Artificial intelligence testing and Robotic process automation solutions for your specific project, then do get connected with a highly popular Automation testing services company that will provide you with a tactical testing roadmap that is in line with your project specific requirements.

About the author: I am a technical content writer focused on writing technology specific articles. I strive to provide well-researched information on the leading market savvy technologies.