{"id":2147,"date":"2022-07-04T10:50:34","date_gmt":"2022-07-04T05:50:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/?p=2147"},"modified":"2022-07-04T15:25:27","modified_gmt":"2022-07-04T10:25:27","slug":"robotic-process-automation-rpa-vs-artificial-intelligence-ai-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/robotic-process-automation-rpa-vs-artificial-intelligence-ai-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Robotic Process Automation (RPA) vs. Artificial Intelligence (AI), explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are two <strong>automation technologies <\/strong>that help organizations to perform business tasks using softwares and machines. The two differ in the complexity of \u2018intelligence simulation\u2019 &#8211; RPA simulates intelligence with basic coding while AI uses advanced methods such as statistical modeling and neural networks to make machines intelligent.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This article presents a comprehensive guide of RPA and AI. It looks at the individual definitions, key differences, and combined benefits in the business process automation landscape.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Table of Contents<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"#rpa\" title=\"What is RPA?\">What is RPA?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#ai\" title=\"\">What is AI?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#rpa-vs-ai\" title=\"Difference between RPA and AI\">Difference between RPA and AI<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"http:\/\/rpa-plus-ai\" title=\"Benefits of RPA combined with AI\">Benefits of RPA combined with AI<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#automation\" title=\"Why is automation important for business?\">Why is automation important for business?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#video-lecture\" title=\"Video Lecture\">Video Lecture<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rpa\">What is RPA?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Robotic Process Automation<\/strong> is a software technology that trains and uses robots for routine, repetitive, and predictable tasks. It allows humans to write instructions to build, deploy, and manage software robots that could perform interactions in place of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These software \u201crobots\u201d (also called bots) are powered inside a machine. A bot can be made capable of mimicking <strong>human-machine interactions<\/strong> which they perform non-stop, absolutely error-free and more quickly than humans. The human-machine interactions include: reading computer screens, using keystrokes, identifying and extracting data, and performing other rule-based processes.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>RPA has found its applications in <strong>Business Process Automation<\/strong> (also termed as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.impactmybiz.com\/blog\/robotic-process-automation-rpa-vs-hyperautomation\/#:~:text=What%20Is%20Hyperautomation%3F,are%20usually%20done%20by%20humans.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hyperautomation<\/a>) to automate daily mundane and repetitive business tasks allowing robots to complete them in a fast and accurate manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two kinds of RPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Attended: <\/strong>In attended RPA, a human is present alongside a robot and is responsible for performing critical tasks, while the robot performs only the repetitive and predictable tasks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an example, a customer service representative (CRO) can assign complaints with pre-determined tasks to a bot and deal with intelligent complaints themselves.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Unattended:<\/strong> In unattended RPA, a process is fully automated and performed holistically by the robot. There\u2019s no human interaction required alongside the robot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An example of unattended bot is in Data Extraction. By nature data extraction is a rules-based business process where data could be easily read by the bot and stored in a file without needing a human to supervise the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/enterprisersproject.com\/article\/2019\/5\/rpa-robotic-process-automation-how-explain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RPA in an article series by Red Hat<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ai\">What is AI?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Artificial intelligence is the science and engineering of making machines intelligent. The word \u2018Intelligent\u2019 here refers to the problem-solving and decision making capabilities of humans. This essentially means writing programs that enable machines to mimic human behavior <em>with or without<\/em> needing to manually program everything, states <a href=\"#rpa-vs-ai\">Harvard Business Review Analytics<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In AI, the robots may be physical or software depending on their use case. A software robot is an AI program that runs on a computer; example includes an image classifier, whereas a hardware robot could use AI to assist in intelligent tasks such as responding to human queries, or learning to walk, jump, and run across various scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Read about <a href=\"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/mits-cheetah-runs-fastest-using-ai-trial-and-error\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">how MIT\u2019s robotic Cheetah uses intelligence to run across a variety of terrains<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-medium is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"animal robot\" class=\"wp-image-1168\" width=\"337\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-696x464.jpg 696w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah-1068x712.jpg 1068w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/MIT-Mini-Cheetah.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 337px) 100vw, 337px\" \/><figcaption>Image by CSAIL, MIT<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Advance AI uses human engineered models (such as in model-based machine learning) that are pre-trained on known tasks and then extract features from unknown data to reach a decision. Or it uses a model free neural network approach (such as in deep learning) self-learning things without needing a human to engineer a model.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples of AI-powered machine capabilities include: <strong>Natural Language Processing- NLP<\/strong>; enabling machines to read and understand text information, and <strong>Computer Vision- CV<\/strong>; enabling machines to understand visual information such as images and videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Intelligence of robots can come in handy in <strong>Business Process Automation<\/strong> (or hyperautomation). The ability of robots to learn across various unpredictable scenarios can help businesses solve problems without needing human assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a company sets an AI program that extracts information from web registration forms. If on a future day, a field of information changes, the AI robot would identify and understand this change and (as per the function of the robot) may create a new category so as not to cause error in existing data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rpa-vs-ai\">Difference between RPA and AI<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Within the industry of hyperautomation, there\u2019s a disagreement as to whether RPA and AI are similar or not. For example, in Harvard\u2019s Business Review Analytics &#8211; <a href=\"https:\/\/enterprisersproject.com\/ai-executives-guide\"><em>Executive\u2019s Guide to Real World AI<\/em><\/a>, it&nbsp; reaches to a point saying <strong>RPA does qualify as AI<\/strong>; given the definition they use for AI which includes the rules based, highly programmable logic as a form of intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\" style=\"max-width:401px;margin-top:79px;margin-bottom:98px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"515\" src=\"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rpa-1-1024x515.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2162\" srcset=\"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rpa-1-1024x515.png 1024w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rpa-1-300x151.png 300w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rpa-1-768x387.png 768w, https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/rpa-1.png 1979w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Theoretically speaking, RPA can be thought of as a lower level AI that uses human written rigorous programming to learn about its task. The written programs, based on business logic, make the RPA systems intelligent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you ask industry experts, they will tell you that<strong> RPA and AI are different systems<\/strong> where the former don\u2019t demonstrate the \u201cintelligence\u201d just as the latter&#8217;s deep neural networks can. And they are not wrong about it. The difference in RPA and AI mainly comes in the ability of advance AI such as machine learning, and deep learning to accomplish tasks which it was not taught about and making predictions about future events.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether RPA and AI are similar or not, a more important question to consider is: <em>What opportunities could be created if both go hand in hand?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"rpa-plus-ai\">The benefits of RPA combined with AI<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>The powerful AI technologies such as deep neural networks are increasingly finding their way in the RPA toolbox. RPA tools can use this \u201cself-learning\u201d AI technology to boost <strong>language and visual processing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>\u201cThe decision making ability of RPA-AI enabled bots can offer advantages of automation, accuracy, and efficiency in accomplishing business tasks\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As an example, an RPA bot, combined with an NLP algorithm, could be made to interpret and understand information in a document that it\u2019s tasked to process. Using advance AI intelligence it can utilize the information and then take the next steps as determined by the bot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"automation\">Why is automation important in business?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Some recent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uipath.com\/rpa\/robotic-process-automation#:~:text=Robotic%20process%20automation%20(RPA)%20is,with%20digital%20systems%20and%20software.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey data<\/a> from <em>Ui path<\/em> shows that Business Process Automation has offered organizations tremendous advantages. These include: improved work precision and process efficiency, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uipath.com\/resources\/automation-case-studies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">greater resilience (from the use of bots<\/a>), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uipath.com\/blog\/rpa\/impact-of-rpa-on-employee-engagement-forrester\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">better work quality<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uipath.com\/resources\/automation-whitepapers\/it-central-station-time-to-value-rpa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cost reduction<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, business process automation also leads to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.impactmybiz.com\/blog\/robotic-process-automation-rpa-vs-hyperautomation\/#:~:text=What%20Is%20Hyperautomation%3F,are%20usually%20done%20by%20humans.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">better data utilization<\/a> for business analytics. Automated data engineering pipelines offers organizations to save time and effort in the rigmarole and focus more on data analytics outcomes and business strategy formation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This leads us to conclude another benefit, that human resources can now focus more on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uipath.com\/blog\/rpa\/impact-of-rpa-on-employee-engagement-forrester\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">strategic work<\/a> thereby participating in more productive tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uipath.com\/blog\/digital-transformation\/new-research-shows-workers-concerned-skills-gaps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">survey result<\/a> shows that having to get rid of routine banal tasks and towards more creative tasks has improved employee job satisfaction.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h1 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"video-lecture\">Video Lecture<\/h1>\n\n\n\n<p>Using the platform of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/diceanalytics\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dice Analytics<\/a>, recently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mnemanshahid\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Muhammad Neman<\/a> &#8211; Director IT at SkyElectric Ltd., has given a free seminar on <em>Getting<\/em> <em>Started with Robotic Process Automation<\/em>. Visit the Zoom session to find more about Hyperautomation, RPA vs. AI and Hyperautomation, RPA examples, and RPA tools such as Microsoft Power Automate.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The video is available at LinkedIn as a previously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/video\/live\/urn:li:ugcPost:6946465700961992705\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">live lecture<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>RPA and AI differ in the way &#8216;cognitive intelligence&#8217; is simulated to make robots learn and perform tasks like humans<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":2149,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[23,28],"class_list":{"0":"post-2147","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-rpa","8":"tag-ai","9":"tag-articles"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2147","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2147"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2226,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2147\/revisions\/2226"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2149"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/testing.dicecamp.com\/insights\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}