2021. 03. 16. What is automation?

| IBM

What is automation?
Automation is the application of technology, programs, robotics or processes
to achieve outcomes with minimal human input

Types of automation

Automation is a broad term that can cover many areas of technology where human
input is minimized. This can include everything from business-specific types such as:
business process automation (BPA), IT automation, marketing automation and
industrial automation. It also covers personal applications such as home automation.
This article focuses on the main business-specific automation areas of IT automation
and BPA.

One way to think about the types of automation is breaking it down by the level of
complexity – low to high.

Basic automation
Basic automation takes simple, rudimentary tasks and automates them. This level of

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automation is about using tools to streamline and centralize routine tasks, such as using
a shared messaging system instead of having information in disconnected silos.

Examples include:

Business process management

Business process management (BPM) leverages software and services to provide total
visibility into an organization’s business processes. BPM helps automate, monitor,
optimize and improve business processes to increase efficiency and reduce costs.

 Learn about Business Process Management

Robotic process automation

The use of software bots to automate highly repetitive, routine tasks normally performed
by knowledge workers. RPA bots complete tasks faster, so employees can perform
higher-value work. Using RPA can reduce time to create, test and deploy new
automation schemes from months to hours.

 Learn about RPA

Companies are beginning to use business process management (BPM) libraries and
workflow software with select robotic process automation (RPA) capabilities for faster
implementation. According to a recent IBM study, 91 percent of organizations use at
least some basic automation.

 Explore Business Process Automation Services

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Process automation
Process automation manages business processes for uniformity and transparency. It is
typically handled by dedicated software and business apps.

Examples include:

Invoice processing
Digital automation powered by business process management (BPM) and robotic
process automation (RPA) can provide nearly everything needed for invoice processing.
RPA automates the mundane and repetitive activities. System activities can be
configured in BPM, which orchestrates all the activities across humans, bots and
systems. Only human activities such as managerial approvals remain.

 Learn about Invoice Processing

Workflow automation
Orchestrates multiple business processes within operations and provides visibility into
each step. Automating a manual workflow safeguards against potential disruptions or
slowdowns, and directly involves business professionals in the design of business
solutions.

 Learn about workflow automation

Integration automation

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Integration automation is where machines are able to mimic human tasks and repeat
their actions once humans define the machine rules.

One example is:

Intelligent automation
Intelligent process automation enables processes to perform in ways that optimize the
amount of human support needed. This shift – moving the burden of processes from
humans to technology – has the potential to redesign the way work gets done within an
enterprise. As increasingly more – and now, more complicated – tasks are performed by
process automation, humans are free to engage in higher-value tasks.

 Learn about Intelligent Process Automation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) automation

The most complex level of automation is Artificial Intelligence (AI) automation. The
addition of AI means that machines can “learn” and make decisions based on past
situations it has encountered and analyzed.

One example is:

Automation in customer service

With breakthroughs in automation, companies can automate critical parts of the service
function while still giving their customers a positive experience. Virtual assistants
powered by artificial intelligence can reduce costs through automation while
empowering both customers and human agents, creating the optimal end-to-end
customer service experience.

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 Learn about customer service AI

Overview of IT automation

IT automation is using a system of instructions to execute a repeated set of processes

– taking the place of IT work performed manually. Automated processes can increase
IT productivity and efficiency – and reduce human errors. Recently the focus on IT
automation has shifted to enhanced business productivity, greater innovation and
faster speed to market.

Areas related to IT automation include:

Cloud automation
A set of processes and tools to replace manual tasks that provision and manage cloud
workloads, cloud automation lets IT staff use time more strategically. It speeds tasks
such as virtual machine deployments, and can reduce costs by reclaiming hardware
resources and underused software licenses.

DevOps automation
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An enterprise capability for continuous delivery, deployment and monitoring of

applications. Various processes and tools can automate DevOps to ensure fast
feedback throughout the DevOps pipeline. Examples of opportunities to apply DevOps
automation include developing, testing or deploying code;  deploying a test
infrastructure; or running tests.

 Learn about DevOps automation

Automated provisioning
Automated provisioning allows an enterprise to deploy and configure infrastructure
and applications, without the active participation of dedicated IT personnel, by using
pre-defined procedures. Each step is carried out dynamically with new services being
deployed and devices being attached (or detached) from the network. The entire
process is bound by IT policies but does not require the manual work from IT staff.

Build automation
Build automation is automating a software build and associated activities such as:
compiling computer source code to produce binary code, packaging binary code and
performing automated tests. The tests help ensure that the new code does not
negatively impact the work of other developers.

 Learn about build automation and continuous delivery

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Orchestration
Orchestration is streamlining operations management through automation processes
to arrange, coordinate and manage computer systems, middleware and services. By
automating computer systems, applications and services, orchestration can decrease
the workload of IT personnel from having to manage many complex tasks and
processes. While automation is typically a single task, orchestration arranges tasks to
increase workflow efficiency.

Configuration management
Configuration management is a governance process that helps an organization
continually identify and track its hardware and software assets. Administrators,
technicians and software developers use configuration management tools to plan,
track and centrally administer multiple projects and releases across an organization.

Automated deployment
Automated deployment is the process of eliminating manual steps from the creation
of environments for software development and delivery. Typical uses include:
Continuous delivery to automatically deploy, test and promote new builds,
production deployments to orchestrate complex production deployments of
applications and configuration, self-service that grants permission for other teams to
do some of the work and incremental updates to deploy only partial or missing
components.
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Security automation
Security automation is the use of systems for security operations without relying on
human intervention. It covers tasks such as scanning for vulnerabilities, detecting and
pro-actively guarding against cyber attacks – as well as contributing to the larger
threat intelligence of an organization. The goal of security automation is to reduce or
eliminate repetitive and time-consuming security activities to free up security analysts
to concentrate on more mission-critical tasks.

Automation use cases

Automation is dramatically impacting almost every industry. The following are

examples of how innovative automation is transforming numerous organizations.

Retail automation
Unless the right product is on the right shelf at the right time, retailers can miss out on
sales opportunities. New types of automation are transforming retail operations in
unexpected ways. In fact, a recent IBM study concluded that by 2021, retail and
consumer products companies are planning to increase the use of automation across the
value chain.

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Carhartt

Discover how the clothing retailer is planning to use AI and automation so that
replenishment orders happen automatically, without anybody touching anything.

 Read the blog

Golden State Foods

See how the firm reimagined its supply chain with automation tools – adding
transparency to ensure freshness at every step.
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Banking and finance automation

Automation is eliminating mundane tasks in channels and the middle office, such as data
entry, responding to frequently asked questions and assembly. With the convergence of
AI, robotic process automation, blockchain and advanced analytics, financial institutions
can become fully automated. Automation will free people to handle more complex,
fulfilling assignments that demand human interaction and engagement.

Nordea Bank

Learn how the institution implemented automated database management tools that
instantly alert database administrators to problems – helping them keep database
performance high and maintain an excellent user experience.

 Read the case study

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Bendigo and Adelaide Bank

Discover how the bank created an automated, analytics-driven platform for in- and
outbound marketing – enabling it to engage and market to fine-grained segments.

 Read the case study

Automotive automation
The relationship between consumers and vehicles is changing, and the automotive
industry is at the vanguard of a digital revolution. Discover how different types of
automation are revolutionizing the automotive industry.

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Mitsubishi

See how the organization’s infrastructure scales automatically, seamlessly and handles
natural fluctuations in automotive sales volume.

Volkswagen

Discover how Volkswagen is creating the mobility ecosystem of the future.

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Data science automation

With data science automation, a company can perform time-consuming tasks such as
data cleaning, preparation, statistical analysis, mathematics and AI engineering with
minimal manual activity. As a result, data scientists can be liberated to execute more
data science and AI projects in their organizations.

IBM Research – Ireland

See how this Cognitive Data Science team is developing a project called "One Button
Machine" for automated feature engineering.

Akershus University Hospital (Ahus)

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Ahus gains new insights with Watson Explorer to deliver high-quality health →

Automation trends – recent and future

Recent automation trends

The modern era of workflow automation began in about 2005 with the introduction of
business process management (BPM) methodology and tools. In 2011, the release of
Apple’s Siri sparked a new chapter of automation and AI-driven assistants. The trend
was to move away from physical robots to computerized automation using AI
software conceived in the late 80s and early 90s.

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Future automation trends

Advancements likely will occur in:

Machine learning and workflow

Artificial intelligence (AI) is taking its strategic place in both operational and strategic
business process management. New software enhancements to robotic process
automation (RPA) will allow the technology to better observe and learn from human
patterns – optimizing front- and back-office experiences. Machine learning is poised
to revolutionize workflow, helping to enable companies to trigger new processes,
reroute running processes and make action recommendations based on predictions.

Hyperautomation

Gartner Research has coined the term “hyperautomation” to describe the merging of
machine learning, packaged software and automation tools to rapidly maximize the
number of automation processes in a business – to greatly increase productivity.
Hyperautomation requires a range of cognitive and automation technologies coming
together to deliver both the intelligence and the power to put the intelligence into
action.

Intelligent capabilities

AI-based systems will be able to remember (automating future robot configurations)

and reason (predictive and probabilistic processing) so that automated systems gain
the ability to learn and interact.

Intelligent industrial robots

Robots will perform multiple tasks and make decisions and work autonomously –
including self-diagnostic and predictive maintenance capabilities.

Low-code or no-code workflow software

Workflow software requiring minimal or no coding will continue to be a strategic

priority to make process automation more accessible to the entire organization –
especially line of business.

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Text-message-based workflow

In his blog, Michael Lim, Program Director, IBM Digital Business Automation
speculates that the de facto communication method for the new workforce is likely to
be text messaging because of its high read and response rates. It’s likely that enabling
text messaging and text message-based workflow will be a big driver for the next
generation of productivity gains in the enterprise.

AI and machine learning in automation

There are distinctions between terms:

Automation

Streamlines repetitive, instructive tasks to speed workflows. Automation

encompasses everything from mundane activities, like keeping an icemaker filled, to
important business functions, such as keeping a set schedule for server backups.
Basic automation is programmed to perform a repetitive, usually mundane, task so
humans don’t have to.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI is programmed with logic and rules so that it can mimic human decision making.
However, the only way AI can “learn” is if its programmers provide additional input. AI
can be used in cybersecurity to detect threats such as subtle changes in user behavior
or increased data transfers. AI can also be programmed to assist users on websites
with chatbots that free up customer service reps from mundane questions that AI can
easily answer.

Machine learning

An advanced form of AI. It can use data and experiences to “learn” over time without
needing additional programming. Machine learning can recognize patterns on its own

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and make predictions. It uses large data sets to learn facial recognition, speech
recognition and translations – and become more proficient with repeated exposure.
Because machine learning software learns something new with every dataset, it can
provide insights that are more sophisticated and informed.

Learn more about automation

Business value & ROI

Business insights with automation.

 Explore more

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Automation tutorials
Learn about everything from automating tasks with robots to modeling processes with
these helpful tutorials.

 Explore Automation Tutorials

Related IBM solutions

Automation Solutions
Automation is transforming how we work. Find out what happens when IBM infuses it
with AI.
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 Explore Automation Solutions

Business Process Automation Solutions

Get more from business process automation with IBM’s automation services

 Explore BPA Solutions

Infrastructure Automation Solutions

Deploy, control and manage your IBM Cloud infrastructure with feature-rich tools and a
robust open API.

 Explore Infrastructure Automation

DevOps Solutions
Learn more about IBM solutions such as release automation, service virtualization and
application performance management.

 Explore DevOps Solutions

IBM Automation Platform

Give your teams the power to drive next-wave productivity and customer experiences
with IBM’s automation software platform.
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 Explore the platform

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