Automation Anywhere infuses RPA platform with generative AI
The RPA vendor unveiled new features for its AI Success platform aimed at expanding the number of automation applications while providing users with a choice of cloud providers.
Automation Anywhere is infusing generative AI into its Automation Success Platform.
On June 1, the robotic process automation (RPA) vendor unveiled three new generative AI features within its automation platform: Automation Co-Pilot and Generative AI for Business Users, Automation Co-Pilot and Generative AI for Automators, and Document Automation and Generative AI.
The RPA vendor introduced the Success platform in October during its Imagine 2022 conference. The platform, which includes Automation Co-Pilot and a digital assistant, lets enterprises automate business operations.
Now by including generative AI technology on the platform, the vendor said enterprises can expand the number of business processes they can automate.
The first generative AI feature is the Automation Co-Pilot and Generative AI for Automators, which lets automation designers create automations using generative AI models. In addition, users can use natural language to engage in conversations with the co-pilot.
The Automation Co-Pilot and Generative AI for Business Users activates generative AI across any computer application as well as uses it to create and summarize content, send emails, or provide recommendations. Finally, business users can extract and summarize data from unstructured or structured documents with Generative AI and Document Summarization, according to the vendor.
Automation Anywhere also revealed that the Success Platform now can support any large language model or cloud platform. Furthermore, the vendor said it is working not only with Google Cloud as part of an extended partnership but also with AWS, Microsoft, OpenAI and Nvidia.
Automation Anywhere's strategy
The RPA vendor's foray into generative AI follows the moves of other RPA vendors to incorporate the popular technology in their systems.
Business process automation and CX vendor Pegasystems unveiled several generative AI features and products last week.
"Right now, there's much bet hedging going on as to the best path for embedded Gen AI," said Matt Mullen, an analyst at Deep Analysis. However, the path that Automation Anywhere is taking is pragmatic because it puts the choice of LLM in the hands of business users, he said.
For example, the automation vendor's Co-Pilot for Business users lets clients "bring your license" and pick from OpenAI, OpenAI for Azure, Google LLM via Vertex AI, and Amazon Sagemaker Jumpstart or Bedrock.
[Most] vendors are trying to stay largely agnostic because while OpenAI might be the better-known brand with GPT, nobody can be sure whether foundation models from elsewhere might become a better fit sooner or later.
Matt MullenAnalyst, Deep Analysis
"It's indicative of the fact that many, maybe most, vendors are trying to stay largely agnostic because while OpenAI might be the better-known brand with [generative AI model] GPT, nobody can be sure whether foundation models from elsewhere might become a better fit sooner or later," Mullen said.
Moreover, giving users choices among LLMs and cloud providers expands Automation Anywhere's addressable market, Forrester Research analyst J.P. Gownder said.
He added that it's interesting to see Automation Anywhere integrate generative AI into its products because Forrester views RPA as a pathway for enterprises to adopt AI technology and solve concrete business problems.
"While it's too soon to make an assessment of how Automation Anywhere's strategy will play out in the market, they've presented a good story for practical use cases that highlight how generative AI plus automation can solve business problems and potentially increase productivity," Gownder said.
Cloud and LLM choice
The partnerships with various cloud providers and AI vendors also let Automation Anywhere address some security problems enterprises encounter when incorporating generative AI features into their workflows.
For example, AWS, Google and Microsoft all have ways to secure the data used within the LLM, Automation Anywhere COO Mike Micucci said. Moreover, Automation Anywhere employs a human-in-the-loop concept that aims to makes business users comfortable with the output they receive from generative AI, he said.
Overall, Automation Anywhere hopes to help enterprises reduce the cost of building automation and widen the number of applications that can be automated, Micucci said.
Automation Co-Pilot and Generative AI for Business Users is generally available to customers now. Automation Co-Pilot and Generative AI for Automators will be available in early preview in July, with signups now open. Document Automation and Generative AI will be available in the third quarter.
Esther Ajao is a news writer covering artificial intelligence software and systems.
