1. Consolidation leads automation market trends: Forrester

Market consolidation is taking place in the automation space, according to Forrester, with players like CloudBees acquiring Electric Cloud and XebiaLabs merging with CollabNet to form Digital.ai. The analyst group also found that advanced analytics and machine learning are being increasingly applied and that emphasis on cloud-native delivery is growing.

2. Failure of RPA projects blamed on complexity, lack of understanding

Three out of 10 RPA projects fail because of a lack of understanding of automation processes or the underlying automation tools. That’s according to research by digital intelligence company ABBYY, which also found 38 per cent of executives feel projects fail because they are too complex.

3. RPA market value forecast to increase by $750 million in next four years

The robotic process automation (RPA) market is forecast to gain $750 million in value between now and 2024, with year-on-year growth of 61 per cent. The forecast by UK-based market research firm Technavio found the key driver for growth will be improved cost savings for businesses.

4. IBM makes move into RPA space

IBM is to acquire WDG Automation, a Brazilian RPA software specialist. According to IBM, the acquisition will enable it to embed RPA throughout its portfolio. IBM services will use WDG Automation for client digital transformation efforts and for analytics and artificial intelligence workloads.

5. Half of US healthcare providers to invest in RPA in next three years

Half of US healthcare providers will invest in RPA in the next three years, a five per cent increase over today, according to Gartner. The need to optimise costs and scarce resources during the coronavirus pandemic is helping drive RPA adoption, the analyst said.

6. Workplace automation wave expected

Almost three-quarters of UK business leaders expect the pandemic to spark a new wave of automation in the workplace, according to a survey by Internet of Things (IoT) technology provider Pod Group. Sectors that are most public-facing, for example, are now giving automation much greater consideration.

7. Microsoft acquires RPA platform

Microsoft has acquired Softomotive, a robotic automation software platform. Speaking during his Build keynote, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated that the firm’s technology would become part of Microsoft’s Power Automate platform and will bring RPA to legacy apps and services.

8. Rapid automation creates jobs in manufacturing

Manufacturing businesses that move quickly to use robots tend to add workers to their payroll, while industry job losses are more concentrated in firms that make this change more slowly, according to a study by experts from MIT, the Center for Economic Policy Research and Boston University.

9. Blue Prism secures £100 million investment

Blue Prism, a provider of software robots, has secured £100 million in funding. It seems the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global lockdowns are tempting investors to put money into the technology. Blue Prism customers include Lloyds Banking Group and Jaguar Land Rover.

–

Follow us on Twitter – @ColContent