2024 triggers the biggest wave of automation ever seen on a global scale. From two-step systems to super-powered computing machines, companies are focusing all their time and resources on improving efficiency. The aim is to automate as many processes as possible. Taking a step back, one question stands out: what trends are driving this revolution in industries around the world in the year 2024?
This article delves into the heart of the matter, presenting the growing power of automation in many fields. In fact, this rise in power has prompted the agency Gartner to come up with a term that perfectly represents this phenomenon: "hyperautomation".
What is hyperautomation?
Hyperautomation refers to the extensive use of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, Robotic Process Automation RPA etc. To automate as many processes as possible within an organization. Its main aim is to make operations faster and more efficient, and to save staff time so that they can concentrate on more strategic tasks.
With a significant increase in hyperautomation, so what are the 2024 trends in business process automation?
1- Multimodal Artificial Intelligence
Multimodal AI stands out for its ability to read, write and decode images. ChatGPT is a perfect example of this quantum leap: its algorithm deciphers complex images and illustrations with astonishing precision. Today, many AIs have already mastered the art of analyzing infographics or photos in detail. When an AI achieves this kind of skill, it earns the title of " multimodal".
2- The growth of cloud-native platforms
Native cloud platforms centralize automation and connect tools and technologies in fluid workflows. They create a unified space where teams collaborate frictionlessly, test ideas and launch automated solutions. Whether for RPA (robotization of processes), machine learning (ML) or the Internet of Things (IoT), these platforms provide access to tools capable of handling complex flows efficiently.
Not surprisingly, companies want to stay ahead of the game in the face of technological change. So they're pulling out all the stops to stay one step ahead, and not let their competitors get the upper hand. This surge in investment in Cloud Native is just the beginning of a massive wave. Gartner confirms this in its report Forecast: Public Cloud Services, Worldwide, 2021-2027, 3Q23 Update published on November 12, 2023: " Investment in public cloud services is expected to reach $679 billion by 2024, and exceed $1 trillion by 2027. " Gartner forecasts a 20.4% increase in user spending in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) by 19.6% over five years.
3- Automated decision-making
Automation, and above all automated decision-makingis gaining ground in sectors that have long been reluctant to adopt this approach. And yet, it is proving its worth: its advantages weigh heavily and are becoming increasingly attractive.
In the healthcare sector, for example, it transforms patient care and optimizes resources. How does it work? Systems automatically analyze patient data (medical images, genomic sequences, etc.) - to diagnose diseases and predict the effectiveness of customized treatments.
The same is true in the finance sector: risk and investment management rely on automation to decipher the ups and downs of the international market. As a result, financiers are finding faster, more sophisticated solutions to complex challenges.
4- The twin approach: digital twins, the bridge between the physical and the digital
Thanks to the technological advances of the last five years, such as augmented reality (RA) and virtual reality (VR), automation is breaking down the barriers of twenty years ago. Today GAFAM (Google-Amazon-Facebook now Meta-Apple-Microsoft), multinationals and even specialist blogs are getting excited about a key concept: linking the physical and digital worlds. Digital twins embody this idea. They create virtual versions of physical assets, updated in real time by ultra-powerful algorithms, to achieve surprising results:
- Simulate and boost performance The systems test a whole host of scenarios in the blink of an eye, predict outcomes and fine-tune everything before it hits the real world.
- Remote monitoring and diagnostics : They spot and fix complex faults without you having to lift a finger.
In conclusion, 2024 vibrated to the rhythm of several major trends, from multimodal AI to automated decision-making. Many companies have taken advantage of these advances, harnessing them in earnest to boost their performance. With 2024 behind us, the question naturally arises: what trends will mark 2025?
