robotic process automation (RPA)
What It Means
RPA is software that mimics human actions on computer systems by clicking buttons, filling forms, copying data between applications, and following predefined rules. It's like having a digital worker that can perform routine, repetitive tasks across multiple software systems without human intervention. Unlike traditional automation, RPA works on top of existing applications through their user interfaces, just like a human would.
Why Chief AI Officers Care
RPA delivers immediate cost savings and efficiency gains while requiring minimal IT infrastructure changes, making it an accessible entry point for automation initiatives. It reduces human error in repetitive tasks and frees up employees for higher-value work, but CAIOs must ensure proper governance to prevent the creation of fragile, ungoverned automation sprawl. RPA also generates valuable process data that can inform broader AI and automation strategies.
Real-World Example
A insurance company uses RPA to automatically process routine claims by having the bot read incoming emails, extract policy numbers, look up customer information in multiple systems, verify coverage details, calculate payouts based on predefined rules, and update the claims database - completing in minutes what used to take human agents hours.
Common Confusion
People often think RPA is AI or machine learning, but it's actually rule-based automation that follows exact instructions without learning or adapting. Unlike AI, RPA breaks when processes change and requires explicit programming for every scenario it might encounter.
Industry-Specific Applications
See how this term applies to healthcare, finance, manufacturing, government, tech, and insurance.
Healthcare: In healthcare, RPA automates administrative workflows like patient registration, claims processing, appointment scheduli...
Finance: In finance, RPA automates high-volume, rule-based processes like accounts payable/receivable, regulatory reporting, trad...
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- 6 industry-specific applications
- Relevant regulations by sector
- Real compliance scenarios
- Implementation guidance
Technical Definitions
NISTNational Institute of Standards and Technology
"A preconfigured software instance that uses business rules and predefined activity choreography to complete the autonomous execution of a combination of processes, activities, transactions, and tasks in one or more unrelated software systems to deliver a result or service with human exception management. "Source: IEEE_Guide_IPA
"Software to help in the automation of tasks, especially those that are tedious and repetitive."Source: NSCAI
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