What is Intelligent AI Process Automation?
AI process automation is also known as intelligent automation. It is a scenario where tasks are handled effortlessly by intelligent systems which are capable of learning and adapting. This relieves humans from repetitive and mundane tasks for more productivity
In this setup, AI is the brain behind the operation. It uses machine learning, or natural language processing to analyze vast amounts of data, make informed decisions, and perform tasks that mimic human intelligence.
AI process automation also uses robotic process automation (RPA). These are the hands that execute the tasks. Finally, there’s business process management (BPM), which is the backbone that supports and optimizes the entire operation. BPM involves using software to design, execute, monitor, and refine business processes.
In the next section, I will show you how AI fits into process automation.
How Does AI Fit into Process Automation?
Combining AI and process automation can significantly enhance business operations. Here’s how they complement each other:
Enhanced Efficiency and Accuracy
Sometimes, automating tasks isn’t just about following rules. They might need some decision-making or they may have to deal with messy, unorganized information. Traditional process automation isn't very good at this because they can only follow simple instructions.
This is where Artificial Intelligence (AI) comes in. AI can learn from data, recognize patterns, and make decisions. It uses technologies like machine learning and natural language processing.
For example, in an enterprise, customer support teams get tons of emails every day. Traditional automation can help by sorting these emails into different categories. But what if an email doesn’t fit neatly into a category? AI can read the email, understand the problem, suggest a solution or route it to the right person.
Enterprises also receive many invoices that need to be processed. Traditional automation can enter the data from these invoices into the system. But if an invoice is handwritten or has some errors, traditional automation might get confused. AI can help to read and understand different formats, correct errors, and ensure the data is entered correctly.
Improved Decision-Making
Think of a company that offers a suite of software products.
This company wants to know which software products their customers will like the most and which ones might not be as popular. AI can look at all the data about what software customers have bought in the past, which products are currently trending, and even what customers are saying about these products online. It can do this incredibly faster than any human could. For example, if the AI system sees that a certain software product is becoming really popular, the process automation system can ensure the company increases its marketing efforts for that product. Or, if the AI system notices that some customers might not renew their subscriptions, the process automation system can remind the company to reach out to these customers with special offers or support.
This way, the company can ensure they have the right software products for their customers and avoid any potential issues before they happen.
Personalization and Customer Experience
AI can look at what customers have bought before, what they like to talk about, and even what they search for online. Instead of sending the same offer to everyone, AI can create and send out different offers for different people using robotic process automation. For example, if you love sports, you might get a special discount during a big game. If you prefer movies, you might get a discount for movie nights. This makes the marketing feel special and just for you.
Scalability and Flexibility
If your enterprise wants to upgrade its operations quickly, combining AI and process automation develops a machine that can learn new things and adapt to changes. This helps the company to do more work and handle new challenges easily.
In an enterprise, different departments like sales, marketing, and finance need to work together. Traditional automation might struggle to handle tasks across these departments because it follows specific rules for each one. On the other hand, putting the entire burden on IT teams to develop automation machines from scratch for each of these different departments is excruciatingly slow.
AI together with process automation, enables even nontechnical departments in the enterprise to build and deploy automation machines without total dependence on IT teams. Check out our latest guide, Harmony- the new enterprise AI set up to learn more about turning your departments into AI powerhouses.
Cost Reduction
For an enterprise that wants to save money, AI and process automation can take over complex tasks that would usually need a lot of people to do, which helps the company save money. For example, in an enterprise that gets a lot of invoices (bills) from different suppliers. Normally, someone would have to read each invoice and enter the details into the computer. This takes a lot of time and can lead to mistakes. AI can read the invoices, understand the information, and process automation tools can trigger data transfer accordingly. This reduces the need for manual data entry and saves money.
Enhanced Compliance and Risk Management
AI and process automation work together to enhance compliance and risk management. AI continuously monitors the large amounts of data generated, including financial transactions and personal customer data, to ensure that all activities align with regulatory requirements.
AI identifies unusual patterns or transactions then process automation tools can trigger an alert to the company to investigate further. It reduces the manual effort required for compliance checks and minimizes the risk of human error. Additionally, AI monitors how personal data is used and stored, ensuring adherence to privacy laws. If any issues are detected, process automation tools can trigger AI to take immediate corrective actions, such as encrypting data or restricting access, to safeguard sensitive information. This integration of AI with process automation allows companies to focus on growth and innovation while maintaining robust regulatory standards.
How to Implement AI in Business Process Automation
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you integrate AI into your business processes:
1. Define Objectives and Identify Use Cases
Start by aligning with your business goals. Understand where the real need for this AI process automation comes from. Probably you need to improve customer satisfaction or reduce costs. You should also set clear, specific targets. For example, cutting down processing time by 30% or boosting sales by 15%. It’s important to involve key people from different departments, such as IT, finance, and customer service, to get their perspectives and ensure everyone agrees on the benefits of the AI project.
Document how things are currently done and spot areas that are repetitive or prone to errors. Prioritize processes that have the biggest impact on your goals and are feasible for AI implementation.
2. Choose the Right AI Tools and Technologies
How do you choose the right AI process automation tool you need?
It simple. Ensure that whatever tool you choose is loved by your IT teams to enable them to easily deploy, secure, and manage the AI process automation infrastructure. It should also be loved by non-IT staff . That means that it should be easy to use and enable non-technical staff to build their own automation workflows using their domain expertise. This also reduced IT workload and gives everyone a chance to develop AI skills.
Ensure that the AI tools you are considering can integrate smoothly with your current technology stack. Look at the costs involved in implementing the AI process automation tools and compare them with the expected benefits. This includes not only financial gains but also improvements in efficiency, accuracy, and customer satisfaction.
The tool should also offer an on-prem solution so that the data can be fully secured. Another important thing to consider is to ensure that it allows visibility into the code for IT teams to audit and scan to ensure maximum security.
3. Start Small
Starting small when implementing AI in business process automation is like dipping your toes into the water before diving in. Instead of overhauling your entire system, you should begin with a single, manageable project and a small number of participants.
For example, the single manageable project can be to automate the processing of supplier invoices. You should gather your team and explain the plan. The goal might be to see if AI can reduce errors and speed up processing times in the finance department. Once everyone is on board, you select a user-friendly AI process automation tool that fits your needs without requiring a massive investment.
Once the pilot project begins, and you closely monitor its performance, you can make necessary adjustments, fine-tuning the system to better meet your needs.
As the benefits become clear, present the results to your stakeholders, demonstrating the value with concrete data. With their support, you can then decide to expand the project, gradually rolling out the AI process automation system to other departments.
Starting small helps teams become more comfortable with the technology. They learn its capabilities and limitations, adapting their workflows to integrate seamlessly with the system. This gradual approach allows you to manage risks effectively, ensuring compliance with regulations and addressing any issues before they become major problems.
The success of this initial project will give you the confidence to explore other areas where AI process automation can make a difference, since you already have a proven strategy for scaling up.
Tools for AI process automation
There are numerous tools available for AI process automation, each catering to different needs and industries. Here are some of the top tools that can help streamline your business processes:
Activepieces allows users to leverage AI to automate business processes without coding knowledge. This makes it accessible to both technical and non-technical teams, enabling departments to implement their own automation solutions effectively. It supports the creation of workflows that can integrate with various APIs , third-party platforms and tech stacks. This is essential for modern business environments where multiple systems need to communicate seamlessly. Activepieces provides a more affordable alternative to other automation tools like Zapier, especially for businesses looking to reduce operational costs. It provides access to the code for your IT teams to audit for maximum security. Activepieces also offers an on-prem solution so that your data can be fully secured. One of the standout features is its no-code/low-code approach, which allows every team to design, implement, and manage automated processes easily.
2. Blue Prism
Blue Prism offers significant benefits for AI process automation, making it a valuable tool for businesses looking to enhance their operational efficiency and productivity. One of the primary advantages is its ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems, allowing for smooth and efficient business processes automation.
3. Automation Anywhere
Automation Anywhere offers a robust platform for AI process automation. The platform leverages AI technologies such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision to automate processes involving. This allows employees to focus on high-value tasks, thereby increasing overall productivity and driving innovation.