On the operations desk, RPA handles repetitive, structured steps like logging in, copying data between systems, and filling forms, which is the work that follows the same path every time. Because it executes predefined rules and does not reason or adapt, it works only on structured data and breaks when a screen layout or process structure changes. This draws the line against an AI agent, which is goal-directed and adaptive rather than tied to a fixed script. The decision the term drives is whether a task is stable enough for rule-based execution or variable enough to need an adaptive approach.
Glossary
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
Robotic Process Automation is rule-based software that automates digital tasks by mimicking fixed human actions, such as keystrokes and mouse clicks, across application user interfaces according to predefined scripts.