Business automation, robotics and business process management
With technology now available that incorporates robotics process automation and other automation technologies, companies can achieve greater efficiency, adapt to changing business needs and reduce human error. Read the latest news and tips about business process management and automating business processes, including how to demonstrate a strong return on investment when integrating enterprise automation tools into company operations.
Top Stories
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Feature
03 Apr 2025
Low code vs. BPM: Differences and similarities
Low-code development and business process management help digitize and optimize business operations. Learn how each works and how together they enable digital transformation. Continue Reading
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Tip
10 Sep 2024
AI transparency: What is it and why do we need it?
As AI adoption has increased, the concept of AI transparency has broadened in scope and grown in importance. Learn what it means for enterprise AI teams. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Jul 2019
AI for decision-making shows promise, but worker trust an issue
Companies like Walmart are using AI for decision-making in business processes, but the discipline is new and workers are wary. Experts offer ways to build trust. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Jul 2019
How Oracle RPA systems can automate business tasks for users
Robotic process automation software can be integrated into Oracle environments to help strengthen business operations by augmenting workers with software robots. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Jul 2019
Define a continuous improvement process with EA models, practices
Continuous improvement isn't just about centers of excellence or feedback loops. Ultimately, it must bring the vast enterprise architecture into rapid-fire code changes, and vice versa. Continue Reading
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News
09 Jul 2019
Automation Anywhere's Microsoft pact indicative of hot RPA market
RPA vendor Automation Anywhere said it's poised to take full advantage of the burgeoning RPA market. Its recent deal with Microsoft is just one indication of RPA's popularity. Continue Reading
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News
03 Jul 2019
Criteria for success in AI: Industry best practices
Is it useful to study how companies outside of your industry are applying AI? Experts from Shell, Uber and Fellow Robots believe so. Read about their criteria for success in AI. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jul 2019
3 real-world IoT smart contract use cases prove blockchain benefits
Real-world companies are testing IoT smart contracts and finding value in various industries, from entertainment to utilities to advertising. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Jun 2019
New BPMS architecture is answer to 'future-proofing' the enterprise
An aging, complex IT environment needed to become more nimble -- and remain stable. A months-long project using a new BPMS architecture pointed the way. Continue Reading
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Definition
18 Jun 2019
ghost worker
Ghost worker is a term coined by computer scientist Siddharth Suri and Harvard researcher Mary L. Gray to describe an emerging class of remote freelance workers who make their living by completing microtasks for cloud providers. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jun 2019
RPA use cases that take RPA to next level
Taking RPA use cases to the next level entails automating complex processes, establishing a governance program and using management techniques such as Six Sigma. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Jun 2019
Build a digital transformation strategy with software at its core
What is a winning digital transformation strategy? For many companies, it starts with an overhaul of their software environments. Our comprehensive guide explains how it's done. Continue Reading
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News
24 Apr 2019
Pointers on becoming a transformational CIO, pitfalls to avoid
A panel of CIO experts explore the role of the transformational CIO. Understanding organizational change and being plugged in are big factors. Continue Reading
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Feature
22 Apr 2019
RPA software harnesses the potential of a digital workforce
RPA software cuts costs, boosts efficiency and frees employees from mind-numbing tasks. But governance challenges must be faced. Continue Reading
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News
29 Mar 2019
How to achieve digital transformation -- with CIO as linchpin
Companies achieve digital transformation along two dimensions -- through operational efficiency and offering a great customer experience. Getting there can be an uphill battle. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Mar 2019
Capital One's cloud strategy advances to tap emerging tech
Capital One's cloud strategy continues to evolve as the financial powerhouse taps into emerging tech to improve customer experience. Read the step-by-step details of its journey. Continue Reading
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News
26 Mar 2019
Scalable learning vs. scalable efficiency in the automation age
The right way to treat employees in the automation age is not by deploying scalable efficiency, but by offering scalable learning. The first requirement: enlightened leaders. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Mar 2019
Comparing chatbots vs. virtual assistants vs. conversational agents
Is a conversational agent the same as a chatbot or a virtual assistant? Not exactly. IBM Watson VP and CTO Rob High explains the differences. Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2019
MIT CIO 2019: Scaling AI and data to build the 'smart enterprise'
The theme of MIT Sloan CIO Symposium 2019 is 'leading the smarter enterprise.' We caught up with event chair Lindsey Anderson to find out what that means. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2019
Google Empathy Lab uses 'design feeling' in search of a more human UI
Google Empathy Lab's Danielle Krettek touted the next big thing in UI design at the Wisdom 2.0 event: tech that feels your pain or happiness -- or whatever. Continue Reading
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News
11 Mar 2019
Confronting big tech's role in digital addiction and digital wellness
Heard at Wisdom 2.0: Former Google employee Tristan Harris believes big tech needs to confront its role in promoting digital addiction and get serious about digital wellness. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Mar 2019
Value stream mapping vs. process mapping to drive process innovation
What's the difference between value stream mapping vs. process mapping? One is focused on making an existing process more efficient, while the other dissects the value of each step. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Mar 2019
Enterprise drone adoption takes off -- with a few hurdles
Enterprise drone applications are showcasing numerous benefits, but challenges stand in the way of widespread adoption -- namely, public safety and scalability. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Feb 2019
BPM tools mitigate business disruption amid digital transformation
A major challenge in digital transformation is avoiding harmful disruption to the business while doing the work of creating a new business/IT operating model. BPM tools can help. Continue Reading
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News
18 Feb 2019
Accenture predicts post-digital age where trust is the differentiator
The latest Accenture Technology Vision report calls out 'DARQ' technologies as the new must-have for CIOs and underscores the importance of building digital trust. Continue Reading
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Answer
11 Feb 2019
Managing the automated workplace: Humans vs. chatbots vs. cobots
Who's afraid of the automated workplace? IBM's Gene Chao answers questions on how chatbots, cobots and AI are impacting jobs and why hybrid labor requires new management skills. Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2019
AI bots: How GE is adapting traditional management to AI
To get a handle on its AI strategy, GE is making AI more human: It's creating AI bots and assigning them to managers. Challenges abound. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Feb 2019
21st-century CIO job description puts CIOs in vortex of emerging tech
The ban against pursuing tech for tech's sake -- it's been lifted. CIOs need to dive into emerging tech to extract its business potential. Welcome to the new CIO job description. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jan 2019
CIOs share their 2019 tech resolutions
We asked five CIOs to share their tech resolutions for the new year. Ambition is sky high. Projects include RPA, AI that can handle sensitive data, scaling the business and more. Continue Reading
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News
21 Jan 2019
5 IT trends shaping 2019 CIO strategies
Tech executives sound off on the IT trends they see shaping CIO strategies in 2019. AI and cloud loom large, but the test for CIOs is not just technical. Continue Reading
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News
21 Dec 2018
Top CIO articles of the year focus on cutting-edge AI, IT disruption
What were CIOs focused on in 2018? Cutting-edge AI was top of mind. IT disruption and industry bombshells loomed large. Here are the top 10 CIO articles of the year. Continue Reading
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News
18 Dec 2018
Top CIO tips in 2018 zero in on AI challenges, opportunities
Expert advice on AI problems and rewards dominated our 10 most popular CIO tips on SearchCIO in 2018. Read our summary of the tips and follow the links to the detailed coverage. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 Dec 2018
How to sustain hard-won ITSM automation gains
The ITSM automation gains you've reaped from your ITSM provider can vanish when you need to switch vendors. These five tips will prevent that from happening. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Dec 2018
2018's top blogs highlight goals, obstacles to modern CIO strategies
SearchCIO's top 2018 blog posts provide a glimpse into how evolving technology and the digital transformation of business processes are influencing CIO strategies. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Dec 2018
BPMS architecture modernizes legacy tech, makes IT more strategic
The technology of the past put humans on the moon, but it's bringing businesses to a breaking point. Here's why CIOs should consider a BPMS architecture to modernize legacy systems. Continue Reading
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Answer
12 Dec 2018
What is human-robot teaming, and what are its benefits?
Because today's robots can assist, not replace, human workers, IEEE member Todd Richmond discusses human-robot teaming and offers use cases demonstrating its benefits. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Dec 2018
Industrial robotics market showdown banks on sophistication
Innovation in the industrial robotics market has countries across the globe racing to build robotics with discerning eyes, more programmable brains and, soon, more nimble fingers. Continue Reading
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News
30 Nov 2018
RPA projects are the future for communications firm
Robotic process automation, or RPA, is sweeping R.R. Donnelley & Sons, which enlists RPA adoption as a way to automate repetitive activities in the document preparation process. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
29 Nov 2018
Advancing tech, analytics techniques give rise to the 'digital CFO'
The rise of digitized processes and data analytics in modern companies has unquestionably influenced the CIO's role -- a topic we cover often here on SearchCIO. But realizing the importance of ... Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Nov 2018
RPA project tackles financial processes, using SAP-savvy RPA vendor
RPA projects are not created equal. Read why automotive supplier Faurecia went with Redwood Software and about how the RPA implementation is playing out. Continue Reading
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News
16 Nov 2018
How augmented intelligence can enhance jobs
Augmented intelligence -- AI used to enhance human skills -- makes workplaces more productive, diverse, inclusive and authentic. That's one future conjured at an MIT forum on AI. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Oct 2018
Business robotics moves off of the manufacturing floor
New uses of robotics are opening up in businesses, as applications for the technology begin to expand beyond its traditional place in manufacturing plants. Continue Reading
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News
30 Oct 2018
Gartner top 10 technology trends for 2019: A comprehensive guide
For digital-minded CIOs, Gartner's 2019 top 10 technology trends should come as no surprise: IT is getting smarter, casting an intelligent digital web over the enterprise -- and everywhere else. Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2018
Implementing RPA at John Hancock ushers in new wave of IT innovation
What's the best approach for implementing RPA? John Hancock discovered that a time-honored practice for the automation of business processes didn't make sense when it came to RPA. Continue Reading
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News
26 Oct 2018
Symphony Ventures acquisition: Deal underscores RPA growth
Sykes Enterprises' acquisition of Symphony Ventures, a robotic process automation consulting firm, sheds light on the meteoric rise of the RPA market; other news from the week. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Oct 2018
The steady evolution of RPA to intelligent automation
New technologies have led to new RPA types, as advances in AI, machine learning and natural language processing have evolved the original RPA tools of the 1990s. Continue Reading
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Feature
15 Oct 2018
Autonomous delivery robots ready to roll and deliver
Delivery bots can solve last-mile delivery challenges, but are they ready for prime time? If challenges are overcome, targeted applications may be where delivery bots prevail. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Oct 2018
Deploy RPA bots to clean legacy data
Got data cleaning issues? Business improvement expert Dan Morris shares how his team is experimenting with RPA bots to clean and reconcile data. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Oct 2018
Automation and employment debate takes a new turn
Future of work trends: Academics and industry executives shared their views on the evolution of RPA and the impact of AI on jobs at the recent UiPath Forward conference. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2018
Augmented human intelligence: Using AI to streamline business process
CIOs are under tremendous pressure to use AI technologies. A recent survey shows why focusing on augmented human intelligence may yield the best business results. Continue Reading
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News
05 Oct 2018
RPA trends: Adoption at scale calls for governance, change management
The UiPath Forward conference highlighted the key RPA trends shaping process automation projects, which are seeing wider acceptance and growing scale among some enterprises. Continue Reading
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Tip
05 Oct 2018
IoT adoption gets a C+ from Cisco expert -- how can CIOs improve?
Why is IoT adoption in trouble? Underestimating the disruption to the business is one reason, says Cisco's Jon Stanford, in this tip on the challenges and best practices for IoT adoption. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Oct 2018
Software bots start taking over finance work in Arizona
Software bots are being used in Arizona to help with some routine finance operations. These systems follow scripts to complete repetitive work, freeing employees for other work. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Oct 2018
The benefits of IAM processes, strategies for digitized companies
After regulatory compliance and audit requirements forced Raymond James Financial to re-examine its IAM processes, the company is now reaping the business benefits of IAM. Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2018
How Uber AI Labs used filters to fix a ConvNets deficiency
Can ConvNets learn new tricks? Uber AI Labs research scientist unpacks how her team identified and fixed a major deficiency in its convolutional neural networks. Continue Reading
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News
28 Sep 2018
Global Artificial Intelligence Conference 2018: The value of context
Speakers at the Global Artificial Intelligence Conference 2018 confronted issues that arise when ignoring context and reality when developing and implementing AI. Continue Reading
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News
27 Sep 2018
6 best practices for IT pros when building a chatbot
There's a lot to consider when building a chatbot. Beerud Sheth, co-founder and CEO of Gupshup, broke down six best practices for IT pros at the Global AI Conference in Boston. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Power of AI, limitations of AI in focus at Global AI conference
What's the difference between human and artificial intelligence? At the Global AI conference in Boston, opening day featured tech experts parsing the power of AI and the limitations of AI. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2018
Blockchain in media: The AP explores a blockchain use case
The use of blockchain in media gathered steam with the AP's announcement that it is exploring distributed ledger technology to track content and enforce licensing contracts. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Sep 2018
Tasting a flavor of cloud-based HR software in the future
Through a quick-paced intro to six new products, our editor takes a glimpse into the future of cloud software for HR. New talent management features seem the most promising. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Sep 2018
What is driving the evolution of ITSM processes?
At leading companies, ITSM processes are being redefined as 'cross-domain service management' and the ITSM team functions as enabler-in-chief of digital transformation. Continue Reading
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Tip
20 Sep 2018
3 stages of ITSM and 5 ways to enhance your ITSM strategy
From help desk to service desk to business-aligned ITSM -- how evolved is your ITSM strategy? Dennis Drogseth explains ITSM's three stages and offers five tips for reaching maturity. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
Speed, service, solutions are CIO priorities for Arcadis IT exec
Heading into the final stretch of his first year as CIO, Justin Wright has strong ideas about how to make IT a better partner to the business. Read about his CIO priorities for people, processes and technologies. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
How to become a digital leader: A design company's blueprint
Arcadis CIO Justin Wright explains how IT is working in tandem with the business to make the firm a digital leader for its construction industry clients. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Aug 2018
Digital transformation in the construction industry will rock status quo
Arcadis CIO Justin Wright talks about digital transformation in the construction industry and what his firm is doing to protect clients from being disrupted. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Aug 2018
IoT and robotics, evolving together
While robotics for automation has existed for decades, adding IoT into the mix has changed the game for the industry. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Jul 2018
Symantec CIO strategy: Add 'extreme value' to the business
Sheila Jordan's CIO strategy at Symantec focuses on bringing 'extreme value' to the business. Here, she discusses her top six IT priorities for achieving that goal. Continue Reading
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Feature
05 Jul 2018
Get to Industry 4.0 with a smart factory roadmap
Creating a smart factory needn't require starting from scratch. Here's advice on how you can create connectivity with the industrial machines you do have. Continue Reading
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Tip
29 Jun 2018
Resist 'garbage in, gospel out' doctrine -- defend data quality
The 'garbage in, gospel out' approach to business analytics may be a valid approach for doing big data projects, but CIOs should resist it for business transformation. Continue Reading
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Feature
20 Jun 2018
RPA tools lead to better customer service: Three case studies
A global consumer credit reporting agency, an affordable housing lender, and a Fortune 500 insurance company bet on using RPA software. Here's what happened. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Jun 2018
Six barriers to digital transformation; CIO strategies to conquer them
CIOs are under pressure to help companies find their digital mojo, but challenges abound. Learn about the top six barriers to digital transformation -- and how to vanquish them. Continue Reading
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News
31 May 2018
The intelligent enterprise blends tech savvy, business smarts
To keep up with the ever-quickening pace of enterprise tech development, companies need the right combination of brains and brawn, says Equinix exec Ryan Mallory in this Q&A. Continue Reading
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News
29 May 2018
MIT CIO: What is digital culture, why it's needed and how to get it
Creating a digital culture is essential in the age of information, but companies must not lose sight of their core values in the process. Two tech execs show how they're doing it. Continue Reading
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Tip
17 May 2018
Bad data stops business process transformation in its tracks
Dan Morris introduces his new eight-part series on exploring how bad data can sabotage business process transformation and what CIOs need to do to fix it. Continue Reading
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News
11 May 2018
Build 2018 gives the office meeting a high-tech sheen. Does it matter?
A display on the future of meetings at Microsoft's Build 2018 event was a technology tour de force. But analysts said the fanfare sort of misses the point. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 May 2018
Ready or not, the IoT data marketplace is on its way
IOTA Foundation launched a proof-of-concept IoT data marketplace that runs on 'tangle,' a blockless distributed ledger architecture. Continue Reading
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Answer
02 May 2018
What are the top RPA security risks and how do CIOs prevent them?
RPA security risks often take a back seat to the technology's promise of costs savings and reliability. HfS Research's Saurabh Gupta and KPMG's Martin Sokalski set the record straight. Continue Reading
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Feature
27 Apr 2018
How to make AI agents better conversationalists: Context is key
IBM's Bob Moore and Raphael Arar are committed to designing AI agents that actually understand -- and retain -- context. The aim? To make AI exchanges more like conversations. Continue Reading
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Opinion
27 Apr 2018
Is the future of robotic process automation intelligent?
Intelligent process automation may eventually supplant traditional robotic process automation as AI propels the technology away from automating rote tasks. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Apr 2018
Conversational UX design: What it is and who's paving the way
Two researchers at IBM aim to make AI systems converse more like humans. Here, they discuss the emerging field of conversational UX design and the expertise that goes into it. Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2018
MIT Sloan: Finding your digital business model
Companies may understand the threats and opportunities a digital economy presents, but research from MIT Sloan suggests many don't have a clear sense of how to make digital revenue. Continue Reading
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News
20 Apr 2018
Four digital business models and the capabilities they demand
Research scientist Stephanie Woerner expounds on the digital business models companies are using to compete in the digital economy and the capabilities required to succeed. Continue Reading
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Tip
19 Apr 2018
Fostering human-machine collaboration is a CIO's job
Uncover why human-machine collaboration was singled out in a Forrester Research report that says it's time for enterprises to embrace AI in the workplace -- and IT has a special role to play. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Apr 2018
IoT finds a home in RPA technology
The automated nature of IoT makes it a perfect mate for RPA software, helping companies streamline processes and reduce human error, among other benefits. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2018
Using RPA development to bridge the gap between legacy and cloud apps
RPA tech has evolved into sophisticated frameworks that automate IT tasks and rules-based processes. Now, RPA benefits are bridging the gap between legacy apps and modern ones. Continue Reading
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Tip
13 Apr 2018
How to measure usability when selecting an RPA tool
If an RPA tool isn't user-friendly and isn't built for the long term, chances are the dividends won't be immediate. Read this before choosing your RPA tools. Continue Reading
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Feature
10 Apr 2018
CIOs dissect what makes their artificial intelligence projects tick
AI has been described as the ultimate disruptor. These three IT leaders are prepping for the shake-up with artificial intelligence projects designed to harness that potential. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Apr 2018
Readying your IT shop for RPA software
IT's role in an RPA implementation varies depending on the scope of the project and the company's enterprise architecture. Here's how Fannie Mae, Duke Energy and Abbyy handle RPA. Continue Reading
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News
02 Apr 2018
Airbnb incorporates tech to help build digital trust in data economy
Automated bots have made it difficult to determine whether someone online is real, but Airbnb is turning to tech to help build digital trust among its customers. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
31 Mar 2018
Vendor briefing on standardizing processes for RPA services
Robotic process automation (RPA) services promise eye-popping returns on investment. Here, a veteran business process improvement expert talks about his experiences in preparing Fortune 100 ... Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Mar 2018
Machine learning use cases, touch-text-talk on Box CIO's to-do list
Intuitive interfaces, automating menial work so people can focus on big ideas, finding AI and machine learning use cases -- Box CIO Paul Chapman's to-do list is awesome. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Mar 2018
From phishing attempt circumvention to AI, new CIO has a big job
As the new CIO at Snow Software, Alastair Pooley is taking on a range of priorities, from helping the business to recognize a phishing attempt to exploring AI for customer support. Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Mar 2018
Biometric security technology readies for corporate prime time
Companies are turning to biometric security technology to improve user authentication and experience, but its use presents unique challenges that could slow enterprise adoption. Continue Reading
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News
21 Mar 2018
Daniel Pink: How the science of timing can boost productivity
At the recent Gartner Data and Analytics Summit, best-selling author Daniel Pink urged digital leaders to follow the science of timing -- and spread the word. Continue Reading
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News
19 Mar 2018
Gartner issues four-part prescription for data and analytics leaders
Fake facts, discrimination, complexity and illiteracy are four challenges CIOs and data experts must overcome to reap the value of data analytics. Also, forget about bimodal IT. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Mar 2018
'4D printing' is the catchphrase, programmable materials the newsmakers
4D printing may be years off, but applications of programmable materials are already stealing the spotlight. Continue Reading
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Answer
01 Mar 2018
Why is the smart factory concept key for manufacturing?
With the growth of connected technologies, the factory of the near-future is expected to work quite differently than the one of today. Here's a look. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2018
Digital labor transforms IT, but not without careful prep
Robotic process automation can replace humans with software bots that are always on and always right, says believer Gerson Benker, but be prepared for major organizational change. Continue Reading
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News
28 Feb 2018
Survey: Customer service chatbots aren't crowd-pleasers -- yet
A recent survey by Chatbots.org found that less than half of consumers find chatbots effective. What does that mean for CIOs trying to integrate the technology? Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Feb 2018
How to create the best RPA architecture
Enterprises are embracing robotic process automation to automate rules-based, repetitive tasks in a cost-efficient manner. ROI depends on having the right RPA architecture. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Feb 2018
Digital transformation plan: RPA and BPMS tools, better together
A sound digital transformation plan gives companies the ability to change quickly. Business process management suites and robotic process automation -- used together -- do that. Continue Reading
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Opinion
20 Feb 2018
Software robot tech arrives: Are CIOs ready?
RPA technology is coming of age and becoming a strategic play in the public and private sectors. The task for CIOs is to make sure deployments are enterprise-grade. Continue Reading