The Contrast Between Intelligent Automation and Artificial Intelligence
As the pace of technological change continues to move at breakneck speed, it is becoming increasingly difficult to understand the business value behind the buzzwords. Stories about automation, robotics (RPA) and artificial intelligence (AI) have dominated our newsfeeds this year. But they seldom provide any understanding of how these technologies can help transform a business.
This is the first article in a series that will take you on a journey and dispel a few myths about these trends, hopefully in an easy to consume language. Along the way I want to enable you to step back from the hype and understand how you can implement these technologies to increase your revenue and save your business money too. I want to help you move beyond the sales pitch of “AI is the future,” to how will this help your business.
Our journey takes us from intelligent automation (IA) to artificial intelligence (AI). Although, you have probably read many articles that suggest a combination of AI and automation will pave the way to a tech-fueled dystopia and a dehumanized workforce, the reality is we have been here before, and it’s nothing new.
The term automation was first used in the 1940’s to describe automatic controls in mechanized production lines. In simple terms, automation is the technology by which a process or procedure is performed without human assistance or intervention. Intelligent Automation is when you inject a set of logic or rules by which a more complex decision tree is followed and results stored accordingly.
In some circles within the industry, there is a belief that intelligent automation (IA) needs artificial intelligence (AI). I would argue against this school of thought because IA is rules-based where AI is not. Essentially, AI should be a boundary less environment where a machine (computer) learns, applies logic, knowledge, reasoning, and problem-solving to implement a solution to a problem. Equally, AI can make a recommendation then reapply that logic, learning and expanding its rule base as it grows.
In simple terms, you can quickly achieve intelligent automation without moving into the world of AI, where a natural outcome of AI is IA. Although the journey from intelligent automation to artificial intelligence can be daunting, understanding precisely what problem you are looking to solve should always be your priority.
Too many businesses head straight into solution mode and become overwhelmed by the allure of the latest shiny technology. Don’t be tempted to stray from your path and lose sight of your objective; this should always be paramount. A salesperson will happily drop buzzwords to get you to sign on the dotted line, but will it really streamline your business processes?
When implemented in the right scenario and for the right reasons, the results AI can offer are incredibly impressive.
