More than half of senior executives across the US and Europe see intelligent process automation as significantly improving their business processes over the next three to five years

Ex Machina and Chappie are just two of the recent films that have reignited the debate around artificial intelligence and the value it holds in assisting humans in everyday tasks. Like a science fiction movie, automation sparks thoughts of humanoid robots that replace people, or that can do things better or sometimes worsethan we can.

Where is all of this taking us? It can be a divisive topic: luminaries such as Stephen Hawking, Bill Gates and Elon Musk have been openly sounding alarm bells about the dangers of artificial intelligence. An 'Institute of Existential Risk' has been endowed at Cambridge University. Lets be honest. Automation will likely make some jobs redundant, but it will also create others. Five years ago, who would have imagined the following 'help wanted' ad? 'Twitter Data Wrangler Apply Within'?

While the debate about job loss to automation and AI will continue, numerous businesses are already using automation to improve operational processes and efficiency. As a result, it is highly likely that the power of smart robots for intelligent process automation may in fact enhance todays jobs and create completely new categories. Thats because its not a matter of simply applying automation to existing processes: its about building processes for humans, by humans.

Rise of the robots, but power to the people

The potential is as huge as the benefits are obvious. By implementing a digital workforce of software robots, organisations can ensure that work is done around the clock, eliminate human error and reduce human dependency to save costs and drive revenue.

> See also: AI in the enterprise

AI and intelligent process automation (IPA) have the power to transform and drive positive, important advancements for society in areas like healthcare and education. Consider the Internet of Things, where sensors including emerging nanotechnologies coupled with artificial intelligence are beginning to drive advances in workplace safety.

It is true that robots can do the same tasks over and over, with zero variance with significantly fewer errors. But humans must still oversee robots to monitor, orchestrate, coordinate and remediate problems if something goes wrong. So, power to the people! Automation has its limits and there are some things that robots just cant do.

Thats where a blended model of automation augmenting talented people can provide extraordinary outcomes. By connecting people across all business functions and geographies, and providing them with relevant information in real-time, intelligent process automation will provide better design, operations and maintenance, as well as higher quality service and safety.

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Beyond the sci-fi scaremongering: the AI revolution will be by humans, for humans, and it's happening now