Humans with Machines: Redefining Work Using Digital Process Automation

In a largely digitized paradigm, human-and-machine interactions are gaining prominence, particularly within enterprises. In order to successfully collaborate, humans and machines must complement each other’s skillsets and execute unique functions that the others cannot. Together, they can produce far more than the sum of their parts. And it’s this partnership that can usher in an era of hyper-productivity and an unprecedented rise in output for organizations.

Digital Process Automation (DPA) is an evolution in the way processes are optimized by automating them. One of the key drivers of DPA is artificial intelligence (AI).

There are AI-based software systems that now learn rules and understand language and purpose-based reasoning cognitively while interacting with people naturally. For instance, e-commerce giant Alibaba used a powerful combination of algorithms, robots, and chatbots, backed by deep learning and natural language processing capabilities of understanding human emotion.

So, how does DPA help in building high-performing teams?

Robust Processes, Intelligent Automation, Smarter Workplaces

Intelligent automation, a combination of RPA and AI technologies, is another way in which transforming how organizations operate. Manual tasks are being reduced in time by more than half — providing human users bandwidth to focus on other important tasks.

Industry experts estimate that at least 75% of repetitive, rules-based tasks can be automated, and believe that automation at scale will give people the chance to focus on other tasks that are limited to human talents.

By being relieved of time-intensive tasks, such as assembling components and managing non-critical, repetitive documentation, employees can execute on strategic objectives, such as higher customer satisfaction.

A Forbes report on Industry Automation Benchmark Trends indicates that intelligent automation is very much in demand and 38% of companies worldwide have mostly or partially automated their workplaces.

A New Realm of Opportunities

While emerging tech like AI will unlock previously-untapped business opportunities they best perform when optimized with the interface between humans and machines

An MIT-designed robot now helps nurses at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre to schedule appointments and other administrative tasks, thereby giving them ample time to spend critical face-time with patients. This goes a long way towards enhancing the overall quality of the patient experience.

Thanks to DPA, such innovations are helping elevate the overall productivity and vitalize humans, machines, and their augmented capabilities.

While the emergence of smart machines and their expanded scope of work are bound to invite skepticism and fear of job loss, the truth is that both machines and humans have their jobs demarcated.

The growing use of automation offers the opportunity for humans to get better at what they do. And with that, it reduces costs and other resources that will make brands more efficient and competitive with others in their respective industries. With strategic reskilling and steadfast adoption of the technologies at hand, human-machine synergies stand to improve and empower the business landscape.

Technological innovations, coupled with intelligent use of DPA, will empower humans to use machines better and execute tasks with greater finesse.

The obvious outcomes of these synergies are improved productivity and operational efficiency, reduced time-to-market, standardized output, and a well-rounded ecosystem that is conducive to technology-driven innovations.

Provides Industry Leaders with a Clear Path

Industry leaders, including Microsoft, have predicted the ubiquity of AI in the next few years and this means that businesses large and small need to be prepared to take this technological leap.

For business leaders, the primary goal is to recognize the areas of improvement and systematically channelize investments to them. The aim is to create a collaborative atmosphere where humans and machines are both optimized and future expansion and consolidation are made easier.

The digitalization and automation of the workplace is only the first step towards further customization of the technology dubbed ‘Industry 5.0’. This new era will see further co-operation between humans and machines to achieve the unimaginable. I, for one, strongly believe that the future will see organizations leveraging advanced automation and robotic technologies to build a collaborative, high-performing ecosystem due to these reasons.