The world of automation is evolving fast. With the rise of AI agents – intelligent systems powered by large language models that can reason and act across tools – some are starting to question whether classic unattended RPA bots still have a place. Spoiler: they absolutely do.
At robonext, we believe the future isn’t “agents vs. bots,” but agents and bots – working together in smart, complementary ways.
What Is an AI Agent, Exactly?
An AI agent is not just a chatbot. It’s a system that can independently make decisions, select tools, and complete multi-step workflows – like deciding whether an incoming email is a complaint, gathering context from a CRM, and assigning a priority level. Think of it as an autonomous assistant that can act on your behalf, not just suggest next steps.
Agents are best used in workflows that require:
- Contextual reasoning
- Interaction with unstructured data (like emails or PDF documents)
- Judgment in ambiguous situations
What Is an Unattended RPA Bot?
An unattended RPA bot does exactly what it’s told – no more, no less. It follows a deterministic, pre-programmed sequence of steps: login to system A, copy data from screen B, paste into system C, log the result. It’s like a super-reliable assistant who never improvises, never gets tired, and does exactly what you’ve tested it to do.
So What’s the Difference?
FeatureAI AgentUnattended RPA BotDecision-makingAutonomous, context-awareRule-based, deterministicAdaptabilityHigh – can handle unexpected inputLow – must be explicitly codedInteraction styleNatural languageUI, API, structured systemsReliability & auditabilityNeeds guardrails100% reproducible and traceableBest forAmbiguous or knowledge-based tasksHigh-volume repetitive processes
Why Agents Shouldn’t Improvise Critical Steps
Let’s say you’ve built an AI agent to classify incoming orders. It reads the email, figures out what the customer wants, and determines which internal systems to update. Great!
Now imagine it also tries to enter the order itself into your ERP, based on its own interpretation of the data—every time, possibly in a slightly different way. Do you really want that kind of variation in your core business processes?
Probably not. That’s where unattended RPA bots shine. Once the agent has decided what should happen, the RPA bot handles the how—executing that action reliably, securely, and exactly as expected.
The Best of Both Worlds: Agents + RPA
Here’s how we see it working in practice:
- The AI Agent handles classification, context gathering, and decision-making.
“This email contains a new purchase order from a known customer.”
- The RPA Bot executes the decision.
Log into SAP → Create order → Confirm data → Archive document
This approach ensures that automation is both smart (thanks to the agent) and stable (thanks to the bot).
Why RPA Remains a Critical Part of the Stack
- Reliable execution: Once a process is tested, the bot will do it exactly the same way, every time.
- Compliance: RPA bots log every step, supporting audit and traceability.
- Safety net: Even if an agent misclassifies something, the bot will still follow strict business rules.
Final Thought
AI agents are the future of automation – but they’re not the whole solution. In fact, they need structure to be safe and effective at scale. That’s why unattended RPA bots remain more relevant than ever. Together, they enable a powerful automation architecture: agents for intelligence, bots for execution.
At robonext, we build exactly that kind of hybrid automation – where AI and RPA work hand in hand. Curious how this might work in your organisation? Let’s talk.
