Demand for automation tech in ANZ to increase this year: IDC

Demand for robotic process automation (RPA) and other automation technology is expected to increase this year, research from IDC revealed.

The analyst firm said demand would be driven by organisations shifting from crisis mode to recovery mode as they look to improve productivity and increase business resiliency.

Some of the tasks that RPA products automate include network automation, payroll processes, data manipulation and fraud detection.

IDC said that Australian and New Zealand businesses were already ahead of the RPA adoption curve even before the COVID-19 pandemic when compared to the rest of Asia Pacific, according to its Asia Pacific IT Services Survey for 2020.

The company added that organisations that have planned or deployed RPA solutions, around half in ANZ have already reached mid-stage or enterprise-wide adoption before COVID-19, compared to a quarter in the rest of APAC.

IDC ANZ senior research manager Monica Collier said, "COVID-19 will be the catalyst for many ANZ organisations to expand their RPA repertoire."

"They may extend existing RPA solutions more widely across the enterprise or deploy new RPA solutions.”