The current wave of digital transformation relies on workflow and task automation and mostly leaves existing processes intact. How work is done, and who is doing the work, remains largely unchanged. With intelligent automation (IA), things will be different. Forrester defines intelligent automation as a set of 19 technologies which are important to the next phase of digital transformation: this includes robotic process automation (RPA) and workflow automation as well as AI components such as conversational intelligence and machine learning (ML). Intelligent automation technologies combine task and process automation with AI building blocks to drive the next phase of digital transformation.

This Forrester report evaluates how firms are preparing for intelligent automation adoption and its effects on the workforce."