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Hyperautomation 101: what is it and why is it important?
For the second year running, Gartner asserts that hyperautomation (AKA digital process automation or intelligent process automation) is crucial for any organisation to keep up with the digital advancements of modern business practices. As a key strategic technology trend, hyperautomation is the driving force of global digital transformation with the aim to streamline processes to create higher efficiency, accuracy, and output.
As a smarter, faster, and more sophisticated ‘big brother’ of Robotic Process Automation (RPA), hyperautomation is set to become widely used across large-scale enterprises the world-over. As automation of various processes is being adopted at high volumes across global industries without any signs of slowing down, the need to automate more complex tasks is becoming more apparent.
So what exactly is hyperautomation, and what are its benefits?
What is hyperautomation?
Harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotic Process Automation (RPA), and Machine Learning (ML), hyperautomation is designed to seamlessly process massive volumes of data end-to-end to optimise business processes across multiple and diverse areas.
According to Gartner, hyperautomation is “the combination of multiple machine learning, packaged software and automation tools to deliver work […] that deals with the application of advanced technologies including AI and machine learning to increasingly automate processes and augment humans.”
Thus, hyperautomation allows businesses to automate entire processes previously compartmentalised by traditional RPA (integration, DevOps, monitoring and management) into one seamless process. The ability to ‘automate everything that can be automated’ further boosts efficiency and productivity at a much larger scale than ever before.
Hyperautomation vs RPA: what’s the difference?
RPA laid the groundwork for hyperautomation to build upon, and the effects are revolutionising the way businesses operate. The key difference between hyperautomation and RPA is intelligent processing. While RPA is a rigid, rules-based process where bots are used to perform various action-based tasks, hyperautomation goes further by implementing AI, ML, Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to create more sophisticated, enterprise-wide processes.
With hyperautomation’s utilisation of AI and ML in particular, businesses can benefit from machines’ learning and decision-making abilities based on the collected data, and improving its efficiency over time.
Benefits of hyperautomation
As with all emerging technologies, hyperautomation builds upon what came before it: RPA. We have covered the multitude of benefits that RPA offers in previous articles, so it is incredible to think that this technology is getting even better.
Here’s how hyperautomation is taking business automation to new, unprecedented heights:
1. Flexibility
Hyperautomation uses many automation technologies (AI, ML, NLP, OCR) for better process optimisation which allows businesses to reap the benefits of using all of them simultaneously or individually at a whim. With RPA, businesses could only utilise one technology process and were therefore limited in their ability to streamline multiple processes concurrently. This helps businesses reap the benefits of scale and freedom of flexibility never experienced before.
2. Enhanced productivity
Hyperautomation is able to boost employee productivity tremendously by automating various business processes and tasks that are time-consuming. Team members can now accomplish more tasks far more efficiently with fewer resources, freeing up a lot of time to focus on high-end tasks (strategy and planning). Furthermore, hyperautomation is designed to augment human workers and bolster their productivity as employees can automate their own processes.
3. Easy integration
Hyperautomation allows businesses to easily integrate all of their digital technologies and assets across their entire processes and legacy systems. This means that teams can gain access to data easily, but most importantly it allows for simple and efficient interdepartmental communication across entire organisations.
4. Improved ROI
The reward of leveraging hyperautomation in business processes directly boosts ROI as each department runs smoothly and efficiently, reducing costs across the board without human error. With hyperautomation’s impressive analytical capabilities, businesses are able to optimise resource deployment from both a granular and holistic perspective.
Summary
As you can see, the hype around hyperautomation (we never miss a pun opportunity) is certainly justified, as Gartner has rightly recognised this technology as a key strategic enabler for improved business process optimisation. It is the next logical step in the automation evolution by leveraging the powerful sophistication of AI and ML. Despite currently being viewed as ‘nice to have’ technology purely due to its relatively short time in the spotlight, we assert that it will feature heavily in the ‘must have tech’ lists for businesses in the years to come. If you are not harnessing the potency of automation in your business yet, it is time to do so now before you fall behind as we approach Industry 4.0.
Jack Myasushkin
Working Machines
An executive’s guide to AI and Intelligent Automation. Working Machines takes a look at how the renewed vigour for the development of Artificial Intelligence and Intelligent Automation technology has begun to change how businesses operate.
