robotic process automation (RPA)

Automation will be central to the next phase of digital transformation, driving new levels of customer value such as faster delivery of products, higher quality and dependability, deeper personalization, and greater convenience. Last year, Forrester predicted that automation would reach a tipping point — altering the workforce, augmenting employees, and driving new levels of customer value. Since then, […]

At its TechEd 2018 Barcelona event last month, SAP announced that it is adding robotic process automation (RPA) to its software suite, starting in early 2019. Two aspects of this announcement are particularly interesting. The first is that SAP has chosen to build its own RPA capability instead of partnering with any of the existing […]

Stories of thrilling, new AI use cases in retail have been popping up in our tech news feeds, whether computer vision, facial recognition, or elimination of human workers. But these sensational accounts miss an important piece of the AI learning curve. A complex infrastructure of end-to-end process automation underpins the flashy technology reflected on the […]

I recently answered a client question regarding an application that could be based on either business intelligence (BI) or text analytics technology. Question: “We receive quarterly and yearly account statements for our investments. Each statement will contain key pieces of information, such as total contributions, expenses, interest income, etc. However, each vendor may format their […]

It is impossible to overstate the impact automation has on digital transformation. Automation directly impacts customer experience (CX). Software like Reflexis can automate price checks and cut customer wait times by 80%. Robots like LoweBot can guide customers to the proper aisle to pick up home goods. Automation contributes directly to your bottom line. Robotic […]

In the age of the customer, technology and business leaders must start with an understanding of customer needs, then choose appropriate technologies to address those needs. But complex emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, and the internet of things can be challenging to harness in service of customer need. These critical CIO targets […]

We’ve just released a major new report, The CIO’s Guide To Automation, AI, And Robotics. We find that, to stay ahead, CIOs, CTOs, CDOs, and other executives integrating leading-edge technologies into their companies’ operations and business models must turn their attention to automation technologies, including intelligent machines, robotic process automation (RPA) bots, artificial intelligence, and physical […]

At the packed NRF Big Show #NRF2018 in New York last week, many retailers looked at vendors touting new tech, including AI, AR/VR, and more, all in the name of improving customer experiences. But most of those same retailers know that, before leaping into that arena, they first need to bring existing systems up to […]

Until now, automation has gotten a bad rap. In 2013, Oxford professors Carl Frey and Michael Osborne analyzed 702 occupations and declared 69 million US jobs, or 47% of the workforce, would be lost. In 2017, CNBC reported that 65% of Americans believed other industries would suffer because of automation, but theirs would be unaffected. […]

Infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders have traditionally targeted and implemented automation technologies to cut costs. But the new automation opportunity in the age of the customer is engagement: deploying technologies that will help customers receive better service automatically or better serve themselves. Working with marketing and business leaders, technologists are playing a critical and growing […]

IBM and Automation Anywhere  (AA’s) today announced a collaboration (note-not a formal partnership yet) to integrate (AA’s) Robotic Process Automation (RPA) platform, used to create software bots to handle repetitive, task-based work, with IBM’s portfolio of digital process automation software, that includes IBM Business Process Manager and Operational Decision Manager. For AA, the partnership is a validation of […]

It came out of nowhere: A muffled, mechanical voice with electronica undertones called out “Hel-lo there.” It was leering down at me and a few other eTail West attendees: Over 7’6”, a fiberglass robot straight out of a Transformers movie with giant glowing blue eyes and dark mechanical fingers that looked as if they had […]

I've just released a significant new report, How To Build The Device Innovation Lab That Differentiates Your Digital Business. Innovation is a huge topic – just ask my colleague Martin Gill, who leads Forrester's digital business transformation research. But I&O leaders have their own role to play in innovation: Specifically, the use of devices and similar […]

This morning, WIRED published an article about my new Forrester Big Idea report, The Future of Jobs, 2025: Working Side-By-Side With Robots. You're probably familiar by now with the panic-stricken books (like Martin Ford's Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future) and headlines (HBR's What Happens When Robots Replace Workers?) proclaiming that […]

Some exotica for the end of the year: Yesterday I did an interview with the French publication Nouvel Observateur on Google's recent robotics acquisition Boston Dynamics. Google has been acquiring robotics companies hand over fist during 2013, and it's quite a reveal of how they are planning for the Google of tomorrow – something of interest to almost every brand. Here […]