AI’s impact on intelligent automation
Of the many factors shaping intelligent automation (IA), artificial intelligence (AI) is perhaps the most significant. While it’s always been a buzz term, since the meteoric emergence of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, the hype surrounding AI’s potential to take automation to new heights has been fever pitch. Generative AI can be applied extensively across many areas of businesses, from improving existing workflows to adapting new workflows entirely to take advantage of the technology.
Doug Shannon is a global IA and AI thought leader, speaker and mentor. He excels at implementing strategic initiatives to enhance business functionality and has a proven track record in building self-healing automation processes. At All Access: Intelligent Automation (June 18-19), Doug will be exploring the impact and implications of AI on IA. Ahead of the event, PEX Network sat down with him to learn more.
PEX Network: How is evolving AI technology impacting the IA landscape?
Doug Shannon: The impact of AI hype on businesses presents challenges in implementation, particularly in data management, but also offers opportunities for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) to gain a competitive edge. Impact of AI hype: AI technology, particularly generative AI, is significantly hyped, influencing business leaders’ expectations and strategies towards solving longstanding organizational issues.
Many enterprises face challenges when implementing generative AI including high costs, the need for substantial infrastructure and the complexities of creating models based on their own data. Enterprises often struggle with poor data management practices such as bad data alignment and lack of data labeling, which complicates the effective use of AI technologies.
Large enterprises might waste time and resources on AI technologies due to inefficiencies and a lack of clear understanding of AI’s demands and capabilities. SMBs might gain a competitive edge due to fewer data issues and potentially more agility in adopting new technologies like generative AI.
PEX Network: What potential does new AI technology offer IA?
DS: The potential of new AI technology in enhancing IA, along with its multi-modal functionality and audibility, highlights the importance of integrating AI with enterprise automation for enhanced functionality.
New AI technology offers significant potential for IA, particularly in understanding nuances and interacting with end users or customers. Its ability to take on multi-modal functionality enhances its utility in automation, allowing for more complex and varied applications.
The auditability of AI processes is crucial as it brings insight, validation and understanding of how AI technologies work and integrate. The future of AI and enterprise automation lies in their ability to work together, leveraging their respective features for enhanced functionality.
PEX Network: What are the biggest IA challenges impacting organizations right now?
DS: I would emphasize the importance of focusing on core aspects of IA and leadership to overcome the challenges posed by new technologies while leveraging classical automation practices. This is the challenge of organizations being distracted by the hype surrounding new technologies like generative AI, which may not yet be ready for enterprise-level process handling.
While generative AI offers advanced features and enhances user experience in tasks like email writing and knowledge base building, it lacks the capability for handling complex enterprise-level processes.
There’s a need to focus on core aspects of IA such as audit controls, process understanding and low-code development to enhance visibility and functionality in enterprise applications. Classical automation and RPA face challenges in maintenance, process efficiency and establishing good automation practices. Leadership is crucial for driving ROI and creating reusable components for quicker process turnaround.
PEX Network: What factors are key to successfully harnessing IA?
DS: Having a solid understanding of core automation, thorough process understanding, and a “why” mindset are key factors in successful IA implementation without job losses. In the end, it’s not FIRE, it’s don’t HIRE.
It’s crucial to have a basic understanding of core automation and recognize that not all processes are suitable for automation. Understanding a process thoroughly is essential before automating it. This includes asking critical questions to grasp the process deeply. Adopting a 'why' mindset involves questioning the existence, origin and implications of a process, which is vital for effective automation.
IA should ideally lead to no job losses, increasing enthusiasm for further digital transformation initiatives.
PEX Network: How will AI change businesses over the next five years?
DS: In the next few years, the integration of generative AI and automation will present new challenges and opportunities for businesses to become more efficient and even autonomous, with a focus on enhancing the workforce roles rather than replacing it.
Businesses will face difficulties understanding the costs and ROI of implementing generative AI, which will challenge their adoption and integration strategies. Companies should begin with automating core processes and applications to enhance ease of use and efficiency before fully integrating generative AI. AI will evolve to function as a digital assistant, aiding in process documentation and understanding, thereby enhancing business operations.
Automation and AI should not lead to job losses but rather to the redeploying of existing employees to more strategic roles, leveraging their familiarity with systems. The integration of generative AI and automation will lead to the development of autonomous enterprises, streamlining operations and reducing manual nonvalue add efforts.
