Designing artificial intelligence to automate routine tasks

Companies are exploring ways to automate manual business operations but few have the institutional knowledge to do so. Donaldson, who spent 16 years building IT systems for video game retailer GameStop, is building a methodology that combines robotic process automation (RPA), artificial intelligence (AI) and design thinking to help companies automate manual and routine tasks such as data processing and workforce optimization. But here's the kicker: If it works as Donaldson hopes, it will provide enterprises a way to automate work to augment rather than replace humans. Such a method could help stave off job elimination. "Processes drive all of our organizations and almost anything can be automated so long as you can identify and use appropriate tools to define what that process looks like end to end," says Donaldson, founder and CEO of Intriosity, a new consultancy whose goal is to create "force multipliers" in business productivity.