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Today, the world of work is undergoing a massive transformation driven by digital transformation, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning. These technologies are altering the way we work and challenging organizations to rethink their business processes to drive new levels of performance. With advancements in AI and machine learning algorithms, combined with more accessible storage and processing power from virtual machines, AWS Lambda, and cloud services like Google Cloud Functions or Azure Functions, developers can now build intelligent automation into their applications. This new breed of software that combines AI with “if this then that” logic is known as Intelligent Automation. An intelligent workflow incorporates self-learning programs that continually monitor performance indicators and proactively trigger responses when thresholds are exceeded. By using intelligent automation to manage mundane tasks in business processes, organizations can focus on higher-value activities that leverage their core competencies and generate new revenue streams.
What Is Intelligent Automation?
Intelligent automation is a new breed of software that combines artificial intelligence (AI) with “if this then that” logic to manage complex business processes. It’s used to create business rules that automate decision-making and drive consistent outcomes based on specific triggers or events. Intelligent automation solutions include natural language processing that can understand the nature of communications and the context in which they’re received. An intelligent workflow incorporates self-learning programs that continually monitor performance indicators and proactively trigger responses when thresholds are exceeded. These programs run across an organization’s entire IT environment, including virtualized resources, hybrid and multi-cloud environments, and on-premises applications and systems.
Why is Intelligent Automation Important?
The rise of digital transformation and IoT is changing the way we work. These technologies are altering the way businesses operate by challenging organizations to rethink their business processes and transform them to drive new levels of performance. With advancements in AI and machine learning algorithms, combined with more accessible storage and processing power from virtual machines, AWS Lambda, and cloud services like Google Cloud Functions or Azure Functions, developers can now build intelligent automation into their applications. An intelligent workflow incorporates self-learning programs that continually monitor performance indicators and proactively trigger responses when thresholds are exceeded. By using intelligent automation to manage mundane tasks in business processes, organizations can focus on higher-value activities that leverage their core competencies and generate new revenue streams.
AI and Machine Learning in Intelligent Automation
For a business process to be truly automated, it needs to take full advantage of the wealth of data now available across IT environments. It also needs to have the ability to understand complex dependencies and make smart decisions based on real-time data. Virtual machines, containers, and serverless technologies now provide the processing power and storage needed to scale AI and machine learning algorithms that can significantly improve a business process. For example, a retail business running an inventory forecast might use AI to identify customer buying patterns. The forecast model might discover that people are stocking up on sunscreen as the weather heats up, which shows demand for this product is rising. Based on this forecast, the business might decide to order more sunscreen from its supplier.
What Are the Benefits of Intelligent Automation?
Businesses increasingly recognize the value of intelligent automation, which can be applied across a wide range of business processes. Some examples include the following: – Continuous integration and delivery: Manage the entire software development lifecycle, from code creation through testing, staging, and deployment. – Risk management: Improve risk management and compliance efforts by integrating risk assessment into business processes. – Service management: Improve service management, particularly during peak demand periods, by triggering automated responses. – Sales and marketing: Use intelligent automation to more effectively manage marketing campaigns and sales efforts by triggering responses based on customer engagement. – Logistics and supply chain: Use intelligent automation to manage the flow of goods and improve the customer experience by triggering responses based on the delivery progress. – Human resources: Use intelligent automation to help manage employee and organizational performance by triggering responses based on engagement and performance indicators. – Other business functions: Use intelligent automation to improve business processes and drive new levels of performance.
How to Create an Intelligent Automation Strategy?
An intelligent automation strategy is an important part of the digital transformation journey that organizations must undertake. When developing an intelligent automation strategy, organizations should focus on these goals: – Use AI and machine learning algorithms to drive consistent outcomes across business processes. – Identify areas of the business that can benefit from automation. – Choose the right level of automation for each business process. – Transition existing processes to automation when possible. To create an intelligent automation strategy, organizations should follow a three-step process: – Define business processes and identify areas for automation: Start by defining business processes, including both high-level and detailed definitions. Then, identify areas of the business that can benefit from automation. – Build an automation roadmap: Choose the right level of automation for each business process and create an automation roadmap.
Conclusion
This is the future of work: one that is increasingly automated, governed by algorithms, and driven by data. The technologies that are enabling this transformation — AI, machine learning, and intelligent automation — will help organizations drive new levels of performance and innovate in ways they never have before. Businesses must prepare for these changes by investing in technology and leveraging it to build intelligent automation into their applications. Only then will organizations be able to manage risk, improve service quality, and drive new levels of business value.
