Evolution of Intelligent Automation

Rob Weddepohl
3 May 2024
5 min read

The evolution of intelligent automation highlights the progression from basic automation methods to sophisticated artificial general intelligence and how your data needs to be viewed and treated as invaluable data assets.

We are living in a time of unprecedented technology changes with so many opportunities to accelerate how we work, but this still needs to done with caution. How you manage your personal and business data assets has become even more critical at a time where there is so much data being produced and consumed.

Here's a detailed look at each stage in this evolution:

  1. Basic Automation: This is the foundational layer where automation starts with straightforward, rule-based tasks using technologies such as Robotic Process Automation (RPA), Macros, and scripts. These tools automate repetitive and mundane tasks traditionally performed by humans, improving efficiency and consistency.
  2. Intelligent Document Processing: The next step involves more complex automation that handles unstructured data. This is primarily achieved through Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools. OCR is pivotal in transforming scanned documents and images into editable and searchable digital formats, thereby facilitating data extraction from unstructured sources.
  3. Automation & Integration: This stage introduces more complex systems that combine multiple automation tools to enhance capabilities. It involves technologies like RPA, API, and Intelligent Document Processing working together to execute more sophisticated and integrated tasks. This level is characterized by its ability to handle a wider range of automation that involves both structured and unstructured data, showcasing a leap towards more dynamic and flexible automation solutions.
  4. Narrow AI Services: Here, automation becomes more specialized, focusing on narrow AI that can perform specific tasks within predefined parameters. This technology does not possess a broader understanding or adaptability but is highly efficient within its scoped areas of operation, such as specific forms of data analysis or customer service operations.
  5. Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): The pinnacle of intelligent automation evolution is AGI, which aims to match human cognitive abilities. AGI is designed to perform any intellectual task that a human can, encompassing learning, adaptability, understanding, and reasoning across a wide range of applications. This stage represents the ultimate goal of automation, where machines can think and operate like humans across diverse scenarios.

Overall, the journey from basic automation to artificial general intelligence showcases a trajectory toward increasingly sophisticated, intelligent, and adaptable automation technologies. Each stage builds upon the previous, gradually closing the gap between human and machine capabilities in the workspace.

If you would like to learn more about how you can leverage these exciting intelligent automation technologies, but with a strong data asset centric view - then please reach out to our team at Lassio