It is very common to confuse the roles of chatbots and Robotic Process Automation (RPA). This is understandable since both concepts are closely related in the world of artificial intelligence, and the line between where one starts and the other ends often becomes blurred. However, they are not the same and do not perform the same functions. In the following, we will define what chatbots and RPA are to help you clearly distinguish between these two technologies.

RPA

Robotic Process Automation works through software robots or bots to automate processes, eliminate inefficiencies, reduce costs, and improve the speed and performance of specific tasks. This technology can range from rule-based automation to automating much more complex processes using machine learning.

Characteristics of RPA

• It operates with routine, repetitive tasks that follow specific rules or parameters or predictable business processes.
• It focuses on automating existing business processes or creating new ones.
• Its primary purpose is to eliminate manual tasks and human intervention across different stages of a process.
• It works with structured and systematized data inputs, not with data manually provided by humans or through chat-based information.
• Its primary focus is on internal or “back-office” processes that have strict procedures and rules, such as finance, operations, production, human resources, distribution, and all areas of the business.
• Its implementation and monitoring require an IT team.

Chatbots

Chatbots are virtual assistants evolving into conversational bots that can also perform specific business activities or tasks. They are becoming increasingly intelligent, thanks in large part to the integration of natural language processing (NLP) technologies and artificial intelligence (AI). This allows chatbots to simulate human conversations, perform automated tasks, and continuously become smarter and more efficient by learning from their environment and experience.

Characteristics of Chatbots

• They are driven by voice or message input.
• They focus on transformation rather than pure automation.
• They simulate human conversations and seek to understand human intent to carry out automated tasks.
• They have the flexibility to respond to requests or follow less structured guided conversations.
• They reduce potential friction or inefficiencies in processes by limiting human intervention.
• Their current focus is on processes that involve direct interaction with the end user (customer service, sales, and marketing).
• They are highly versatile, quickly adapting to change and gaining more intelligence from data and previous experiences.
• Like RPA, their implementation and monitoring require an IT team.

The main confusion between chatbots and RPA

The primary confusion is that both are strongly associated with robots or bots. However, the key difference is that the bots used in RPA focus on automation, while chatbots focus on engaging in conversations with the end user and providing answers or potential solutions via chat.

As technology advances, chatbots are becoming increasingly intelligent and are beginning to automate certain activities as well, entering the realm of automated intelligence.

Clarifying the Differences

Chatbots always involve some form of conversation, whether through voice or written text. In contrast, RPA bots focus on internal processes that do not involve any type of chat or human interaction. For example, RPA can be used to generate customer invoices or download order information from various administrative systems.

A chatbot, on the other hand, can be used to read a customer’s email, interpret the customer’s or prospect’s request, extract or request all the necessary information from the user to complete the request, and provide a response to a customer’s query.

To further clarify their differences, here’s a comparison table:

We hope this article has helped you clearly identify the difference between RPA and chatbots. Both are powerful technological and AI tools that can enhance your business processes in their own ways.

If you’re interested in learning how to apply RPA or chatbots in your company, contact us, icorp can help you implement these technologies.

Source: Servisbot

This article has been translated using AI and may include errors.