RPA technology providers—established companies and startups alike—are increasingly looking at China as a growth opportunity, according to a new report from Forrester. In The Chinese RPA Market is Coming of Age, the Cambridge, Mass.-based consultancy said adoption of RPA software has grown quickly since 2019 as vendors continue to integrate more AI capabilities.
The report identified several trends specific to the Chinese market. First, a culture of experimentation has arisen around RPA, according to Guannan Lu, an analyst with Forrester. Lu says his clients in China are likely to look at a variety of tools, features and provider models. He notes that, while experimentation can be healthy, it has resulted in RPA programs that are siloed within different business units across the same organization. Like their American counterparts, Lu notes Chinese enterprises will benefit from coherent governance structures.
The report also found AI is driving RPA to intelligent automation.
“RPA emerged in China after the AI craze driven by digital giants and other highly visible startups,” Lu says. “Many clients can leverage AI capabilities from day one. RPA and practical AI components create the intelligent automation that has been adopted by over half of surveyed clients.”