The technology press has been asking a pointed question lately: will AI replace Robotic Process Automation?
It is a genuine conversation worth having in the industry. But if you are a COO, CFO, or operations leader at a growing business, getting drawn into that debate is probably not the best use of your time. The more useful question is different, and the answer has a direct impact on how you approach automation for your business.
What Sparked the Conversation
Supply chain analyst Steve Banker, writing for Forbes, recently highlighted a case study that captured a lot of attention. A large Danish wholesaler had spent years trying to automate the processing of PDF purchase order confirmations using rules-based automation. The challenge: their suppliers sent PDFs in hundreds of different formats. The automation could not handle that variability reliably enough to be useful.
A member of their procurement team tried a different approach using a large language model. It worked. The company built a production solution on it, achieving 98% accuracy, processing confirmations from 30% of their suppliers, and saving between 5,000 and 7,000 hours per year. Payback period: under six months.
Banker’s conclusion was balanced: different automation technologies serve different purposes, and the right tool depends entirely on the process. That is a sensible takeaway. But it still leaves the harder question unanswered for most businesses.
The Toolbox Keeps Growing
Automation technology has never been a single tool. It has always been a toolbox, and that toolbox keeps expanding.
The table below outlines the main tools in use today and where each one performs best:
| Tool | Best Suited For | Example Use Case |
|---|---|---|
| Rules-Based Automation (RPA) | Structured, repetitive, high-volume tasks where the data and steps are consistent | Processing invoices from a single ERP system, copying data between identical form fields |
| Cloud Workflow Automation | Connecting modern cloud systems via APIs; trigger-based processes running in the background | Syncing CRM records to an accounting platform when a deal closes; automated client onboarding notifications |
| AI Agents (Agentic AI) | Unstructured data, variable formats, decisions that require contextual reasoning | Reading and comparing supplier PDFs in different formats; extracting data from handwritten forms |
| Hybrid (combination) | Complex end-to-end workflows where different stages require different capabilities | AI agent extracts data from a PDF, rules-based automation posts it to the ERP, cloud workflow triggers a confirmation email |
The toolbox growing is a good thing. More capability means more problems you can solve. But it also means the decision of which tool to use, and when, is becoming more complex, not less.
The question is not which automation technology wins. The question is who has the expertise to make the right call for your specific process, and who is managing it as the options keep evolving.
Why This Is Not an SMB Problem to Solve Alone
For a large enterprise with a dedicated IT team, an internal automation practice, and the resources to evaluate new technology continuously, keeping pace with the evolving toolbox is manageable work. It is still hard, but they have the infrastructure to do it.
For most SMBs, it is a different picture. Your team is focused on running the business. Staying current on automation technology, assessing which approach fits which process, managing implementations, and governing solutions over time adds significant operational overhead on top of an already full plate.
This is precisely the gap that a managed service model is designed to close. When automation is delivered as a service, the technology decisions sit with the partner, not the client. You define the outcome you need. Your partner determines the best approach, implements it, and keeps it running as the technology landscape shifts.
How Valenta Approaches It
Valenta works with a broad ecosystem of automation technologies and is not tied to any single one. Our role is to assess your specific processes and deploy whatever combination delivers the best result at the right cost for your business.
As new tools emerge and existing tools evolve, we evaluate them against what your business actually needs. When a better approach exists for a process we are already managing, we move to it. That responsibility sits with us, not with your team.
The result: your business stays current without you having to track a fast-moving technology landscape. You get the outcome. We manage the how.
The Question Worth Sitting With
The next time a headline asks whether AI is replacing RPA, or any other automation technology, here is a more grounded question to consider:
As automation technology keeps evolving, who is responsible for making sure your business keeps up?
If that responsibility currently sits with an internal team that is already stretched, or with a software vendor whose roadmap you have no influence over, it may be worth thinking about what a different model looks like.
The technology will keep changing. What matters for your business is that your processes keep running: reliably, efficiently, and at a cost that makes sense.
That is what AI-Powered Intelligent Automation Delivered-as-a-Service actually means in practice. The tools are the means. Your outcomes are what count.
Get your complimentary Automation Assessment to prioritize a quick win for your business.
