Ai adoption marks critical shift in automation, says UiPath report

UiPath has released its annual State of the Automation Professional Report, which highlights significant trends in the integration and use of artificial intelligence (AI) within the automation industry. Based on a global survey of 1,909 automation professionals and students, the report identifies 2024 as a pivotal year for AI integration.

The survey revealed that 90% of automation professionals are either already using or planning to use AI within the next year. The primary motivation behind this integration is increased productivity, a reason cited by 66% of the respondents. Automation professionals are utilising AI in numerous ways, including writing code (67%), creating documentation (57%), and testing (47%).

Many professionals reported growth in their automation teams. 61% of respondents noted that their company had increased the number of employees working in software automation over the past 12 months. Additionally, 81% believe their organisations will hire more automation professionals in the coming year. The necessity of training for a thorough understanding of automation tools was also highlighted as critical in this environment of rapid growth.

The report also provides insights into job satisfaction and career outlook among automation professionals. 70% expect to remain in the industry for the next five years, and 86% believe their current job in automation will benefit their future career moves. Trust in the industry's growth remains high, with more than 84% of respondents confident about the expansion of the software automation sector. Furthermore, 80% expect to play increasingly important roles in their organisations in the next year.

The maturity of automation processes within organisations is also advancing. 60% of respondents indicated their organisations had utilised software automation for over five years, a significant increase from 47% last year. Automation technologies are being deployed across various departments, with accounting and finance (67%), IT (53%), and operations (51%) being the most common areas.

The adoption of AI in automation processes is becoming more widespread. 81% of respondents use AI products in their automation projects at least a few times per week, if not daily. Notably, only 19% of the surveyed professionals found it challenging to incorporate AI into their automation tasks.

Agi Garaba, Chief People Officer at UiPath, commented on the findings: "In the past year, the data from our survey shows progress with technological discovery and preparation for AI and automation. Automation professionals are benefiting greatly from taking a leap forward with specialised AI and GenAI integrations in their automation projects, with even more capable agentic AI workflows on the horizon." Garaba added, "The combination of business automation and AI holds incredible potential to transform organisations, increasing productivity while empowering these critical professionals to take their careers to the next level."

UiPath conducted the research via a global survey fielded in May and June 2024. The responses came from all regions and were primarily gathered through channels managed by UiPath.