What is RPA?
Robotic process automation (RPA) uses software bots that mimic clicks and keystrokes in existing applications to perform repetitive, rule-based tasks.
In more detail
RPA tools such as UiPath, Automation Anywhere and Blue Prism record or script what a person does on screen. They work on systems with no API, which is why they spread in banks and shared-service centers. Their weakness is brittleness. A moved button or a new field can break the bot, and a bot cannot interpret an unfamiliar document. Many companies now keep RPA for stable screen tasks and add AI for reading and decisions. When an API exists, calling it is more reliable than driving the screen. Our rule: API first, RPA only where none exists.
Example
A bot logs in to a legacy supplier portal each morning, downloads new remittance files and drops them in a folder where an AI step reads them and posts the payments to the ledger.