When it was first commercialized, the steam engine cost much more than other power sources available – until it didn't. The engine, developed to pump water from flooded mines, allowed for deeper and less costly digging of coal. Then came faster transportation with cheaper shipping of more products and – as accessibility increased with efficiency – more people. The full promise of a breakthrough isn't in what it does initially. It's in what it enables, eventually.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has helped businesses reduce the tedium of mundane tasks for people, giving them the opportunity to work on more rewarding tasks. The intelligent application of machine learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) can take RPA to the next level. Software developers have been creating programs to automate tasks for many years, but RPA tools have democratized automation, bringing it into the reach of almost everyone. Drag and drop tools allow frontline workers to take everyday tasks and automate them. For example, a human resource (HR) officer might receive emails each day for leave requests.