The robotic process automation (RPA) market is expected to reach $22 billion by 2025, according to a new Forrester report. The research based on surveys of the world's top RPA vendors and service providers reveals that RPA software is expected to grow to $6 billion while services reaches $16 billion in the next three years. The top RPA providers including UiPath, BluePrism (sold to SS&C Technologies), and Automation Anywhere have attracted a lot of investment in recent years and the combined market capitalization based on the peak valuations for the three leaders exceeded $US40B when the market was running hot. However, this has retreated in recent times. Blue Prism sold for half of its peak while UIpath has lost about two-thirds of its value from its peak.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to normal -- are you ready for round two? "There are big changes ahead," says Forrester VP Brandon Purcell. "There are a lot of changes that have been brought about by what happened over the last 2 years. The pace of change is very rapid. There are pretty big things happening." Purcell spoke with InformationWeek about the predictions for AI in 2022 and beyond.

Automation is changing the paradigm that development was limited to app development and delivery professionals with specialized skills, a new report from Forrester finds. Today, with low-code tools and robotic process automation builders, "business users and non-coders can now build bespoke workflows and customized functionality," according to the Automation is the New Fabric for Digital Business report. But a piecemeal approach to automation technology has created as many problems as it has solved, according to the report. One issue is that tactical automation undersells transformative potential. SEE: The CIO's guide to quantum computing (free PDF) (TechRepublic) While automation is the enabler supporting transformation at multiple levels, "tactical, cost-focused automation disconnected from digital transformation goals can inhibit this broader vision."