Robot and Human Go Head-to-Head at Inaugural ISG Automation Summit - Europe
Software bot shown to be faster than human at completing complex task
LONDON, Sept. 26, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In the battle between human and machine, the robot won.
ISG made history last week when it staged what is believed to be the first-ever head-to-head administrative processing battle between a robot and a human in front of a live audience. The competition took place here during the inaugural ISG Automation Summit - Europe, hosted by Information Services Group (ISG) (NASDAQ: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.
The Robotic Process Automation (RPA) software bot - programmed live on stage by ISG Senior Consultant Steve Blundell in front of more than 150 attendees - took on ISG advisor Thomas Saunders in a race to complete a laborious, data-intensive process that involved verifying the VAT numbers of 400 companies.
In a clear demonstration of the power of automation to streamline business processes, the robot completed all 400 checks in just 56 minutes and 7 seconds, by which time its human competitor had only managed to finish 77.
The battle highlights the potential of automation to successfully take on repetitive tasks, thereby freeing up the human workforce to focus on higher value and more creative work, and ultimately make businesses more efficient and productive. This concept was a key theme at this year's conference, which was opened by Barry Matthews, ISG partner responsible for the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands.
Homan Haghighi, an RPA and automation evangelist at ISG, said: "This first-of-a-kind experiment simply proves the potential of RPA to revolutionize the way we work. Just think about the amount of energy that could be channeled elsewhere within a business by employing RPA to complete these sorts of simple, rules-based processes. As a CIO, leading the RPA agenda within an organization demonstrates long-term vision and supports your digital agenda - it's a no-brainer!"
Other speakers at the Automation Summit included Oliver Rees, founder of Trustlight, whose session inspired delegates to think differently about innovation and adopt a "start-up" mentality, and futurist Sophie Hackford, who asked big questions about emerging technologies and their implications for the way we live and work.
Among the presentations from leading technology providers, the afternoon featured The Great Automation Westminster Debate, whereby leading RPA vendors went head-to-head on the benefits of their respective platforms. The summit concluded with a presentation by ISG's Wayne Butterfield who spoke about the strengths and weaknesses of different cognitive solutions, and the need for organizations to develop a holistic automation strategy aligned to business goals.
The ISG Automation Summit was sponsored by Wipro, Automation Anywhere, IPSoft, Blue Prism, Abbyy, Datamatics and Enate. More details about the event can be found at the event website.
About ISG
ISG (Information Services Group) (NASDAQ: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including 75 of the top 100 enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; technology strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 professionals operating in more than 20 countries-a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry's most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.
For additional information, visit www.isg-one.com.
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