Software robots

Recent ZDnet article: http://www.zdnet.com/article/the-software-robots-changing-outsourcing-up-to-60-percent-of-the-tasks-can-be-automated/ is dedicated to the problem of software robots.

Romanian startup http://www.uipath.com is creating “robots” for http://www.uipath.com/automate/desktop-automation, it is automation of repetitive office computer work. Their name UiPath is similar to the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XPath language for addressing elements of webpage, so it suggests ability to address elements of desktop user interface with similar ease.  This task can be achieved:

• by accessing, organizing and exporting desktop through underlying
• or it can be achieved using robust (but hard) image processing approach.
• Desktop automation can be extended to reach phone calls or other

Automation can be achieved:

• programmaticaly using API for access to the desktop,
• by copying exactly what is user doing,
• or, we suggest, by learning from user sessions.

ZDnet thinks that software robots bussines will reach $5mld in 2020. http://www.irpanetwork.com/benefits-of-rpa which covers the software robots domain suggests that using software robots can reduce costs by 50% compare to offshore employees.  Also, it can increase speed of processing, reliability, and 24/7/365 availability.  And, many tasks can be automated from now on…