Quanton's World of Business Process Automation

To launch our 2021 content season, we take a look back at 2020 and the year that was - through the eyes of you, our readers, listeners and viewers. From Hyperautomation to Intelligent Automation, Machine Learning and Conversational AI, we review the five pieces of content that most caught your attention, according to our analytics - and look forward to 2021 as the year rapidly builds momentum. 

Colin Priest, VP of AI Strategy for DataRobot and evangelist for Intelligent Automation shares his perspectives on the future of business process automation with Intelligent Automation.

Technology advancements over the past two-three years mean that Intelligent Automation is more accessible and practical than ever; we have moved past the hype, but adoption is still limited to the innovators and there are barriers for businesses.

For the early adopters who are prepared to push the limits and boundaries, Colin offers his thoughts on what it takes to start with an IA journey.

Ever since Robotic Process Automation became widely understood people have been talking about the potential to combine automation capability with other smart technologies like AI and Machine Learning. As the ideas took shape the notion was referred to interchangeably as Intelligent or cognitive Automation.

At Quanton we believe Intelligent Automation is now a practical reality and represents considerable opportunity for organisations who are expediting digital transformation imperatives.

It is all about connection and people – both internal teams and customers. 

That was the clear message at a recent InsurTech webinar where a great panel from the New Zealand insurance market discussed the need for resilience, new operating models and automation in the world of insurance – and how their companies have adapted and plan to continue to evolve moving forward.

Qualifying Robotic Process Automation with help from UiPath's Martin Milthorpe

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is the fastest-growing segment of the global enterprise software market, according to analyst firm Gartner, but like any technology, it has had its growing pains. While there are a number of local success stories, most local companies have yet to fully harness the potential of the technology.

Digital process automation is real; With a rapidly evolving market and technological changes local businesses have to adopt future-ready operating models to remain relevant and sustainable. And business process automation is one important tool which offers that. Kiwi businesses need to consider how they’re going to embrace it to remain competitive.

Here’s our view on the top 5 digital process automation trends that will shape 2020 – and ways which Kiwi businesses can capitalise on them.

Conversational AI is a growth area, offering new ears and a mouth for virtual assistants. Add in new arms and legs with automation and Kiwi businesses could reap big returns.

Is there something your business needs to be doing today which you can’t do because it requires significant investment in headcount?

It could be something from a customer experience point of view, an organisational standpoint or even a compliance aspect that you need to be doing but it’s out of reach because you can’t bring on the headcount or sustain the large investment.

Now, tell me, what’s the cost to your business of not doing that activity? What’s the impact of you not doing something that needs to be done in the business?

Automation is undoubtedly on the agenda of most executives in New Zealand. Enabled by a wider ecosystem of smart technologies, Intelligent Process Automation is the destination making AI one of the hottest words of 2019.

In September I travelled to America to attend the San Francisco Ai Summit – self-proclaimed the world’s largest AI event for business. At the event I joined several thousand attendees to hear from over 200 speakers and engage with over 200 exhibitors.

The aim was to bring back key learning to be translated into practical insights to share and help move New Zealand businesses forward in the adoption and application of smart technologies – something key to Quanton’s drive.