UiPath, a leading enterprise automation and AI software company, recently launched UiPath AutoPilot to help organizations achieve greater outcomes with AI and automation. Ryan Noik (RN) sat down for an interview with Greg Williams (GW), Regional Vice President for South Africa at UiPath, who expanded on the impact for organizations in emerging markets and offer insight into the emergence of artificial intelligence and automation.

RN: Why is the launch of UiPath Autopilot significant for local businesses?

GW: The launch of UiPath Autopilot is significant for South African businesses for several reasons. It’s bringing innovative AI and automation capabilities within the reach of companies of all sizes and has the potential to make everyone—from interns to CEOs—more productive. With Autopilot, local businesses can now create and implement advanced automation solutions without the need for a team of AI experts or extensive technical knowledge.

This is particularly significant for our market, where many businesses are looking to innovate and compete globally but may not have the resources of larger international corporations. Autopilot levels the playing field, allowing local companies to boost productivity, streamline operations, and focus on growth and innovation. It’s about empowering Southern African businesses to enhance the productivity of each employee, which is crucial in our economic climate.

RN: Can you speak to how AI-driven automation can create new job opportunities? And can you also address the fear that comes up around automation that it will cost jobs?

GW: It’s a common concern that automation might lead to job losses, but in reality, AI-driven automation is creating new opportunities in the South African job market. Last year UiPath partnered with the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) in South Africa to develop the first national qualification for Robotic Process Automation (RPA) developers in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region. The initiative was designed to provide the local workforce with valuable tech skills and prepare them for a workplace where AI and automation will play a key role. We embarked on this endeavour with rising youth unemployment figures in mind and believe that by creating new jobs in software development we’re helping set up for further growth the expanding automation ecosystem in South Africa.

Additionally, we’re seeing a shift in the types of jobs available, with a growing demand for roles that involve working alongside AI and automated systems.

For instance, there’s an increasing need for people who can manage, maintain, and optimise these AI-driven automation systems. We’re also seeing new roles emerge, such as Automation Business Analyst, Automation Infrastructure Engineer, Test Automation Engineer, Process Mining Developer, and more. These roles put automation and AI at the core but are fuelled by human insight and creativity.

Automation also frees employees to focus on more strategic and creative work, often leading to more fulfilling roles. While some traditional jobs may be affected, upskilling and reskilling our workforce is imperative for businesses and employees who want to future-proof their operations and career paths. We’re committed to helping businesses and employees adapt, ensuring automation and AI are creating more opportunities than they displace.

RN: It seems like making AI accessible to non-AI-literate people is the holy grail of the AI megatrend. How does UiPath Autopilot make advanced AI accessible to non-technical professionals?

GW: Democratising AI is crucial, and that’s exactly what UiPath Autopilot does. It’s designed with a user-friendly interface that allows non-technical professionals to harness the power of AI with no need to understand the complex algorithms behind it. For instance, a business analyst could describe a workflow in plain language, and Autopilot will generate it automatically. It’s like having an AI assistant that translates business needs into actionable automation, making advanced AI accessible across various industries across Southern Africa—from finance to healthcare to manufacturing.

RN: As well, what does it mean for those who are highly tech-proficient, such as developers and testers? Will it impact their job prospects or how they do their work?

GW: For tech-savvy professionals like developers and testers, UiPath Autopilot is not a threat but a powerful ally. It’s designed to enhance their capabilities and make their work more efficient. Developers can use it to quickly generate initial code or workflows, freeing them to focus on complex, creative aspects. Testers can streamline their work with automated test case generation and routine testing.

Rather than reducing job prospects, these advancements will likely increase demand for skilled tech professionals who can leverage AI tools effectively. We’re seeing a shift towards roles that combine technical expertise with strategic thinking and creativity—skills that are very much in demand in South Africa’s growing tech sector.

RN: There is a common argument that automation and AI will free people up to do more creative work. However, isn’t that also being offloaded to Generative AI, and if so, where does that leave people?

GW: While Generative AI is taking on more creative tasks, it augments rather than replaces human creativity. AI can generate ideas, content, or designs, but it still requires human judgment to evaluate, refine, and apply these outputs in meaningful ways. In the Southern African context, where we have such rich cultural diversity and unique business challenges, the human touch becomes even more crucial.

For example, a Gen AI-powered tool might generate marketing copy, but it takes human insight to understand the nuances of our local market, resonate with Southern African consumers, and align with our cultural values. In product development, an AI assistant might suggest innovative features, but human creativity is needed to envision how these could solve uniquely Southern African problems.

What we’re really championing is a shift towards humans and AI working collaboratively.

RN: What is your stance on responsible AI? Are you optimistic about the growing use of AI, and AI-infused software and if so, why?

GW: We are strongly committed to developing responsible AI. As AI becomes more prevalent, we must develop and use it ethically and transparently. This is particularly important in the Southern African region, where we need to ensure that AI applications are fair, unbiased, and respectful of our diverse population.

We see immense potential for AI to solve some of our most pressing challenges in healthcare, education, and resource management. For instance, AI could help improve disease diagnosis in underserved areas or optimise our water usage in drought-prone regions.

However, we’re also aware of the potential risks, such as bias in AI systems or privacy concerns. That’s why we’ve implemented measures like our AI Trust Layer, which help ensure AI tools adhere to company policies and security standards.

RN: Finally, what is the ideal business scenario that the UiPath Business Automation Platform is intended to enable organisations to achieve? How do you see it helping South African businesses grow and become more efficient and profitable?

GW: The ideal scenario that UiPath Ai-powered automation enables is for South African businesses to operate at full potential, unencumbered by routine tasks and maintain productivity, efficiency and competitiveness while investing in the training, upskilling and reskilling of the local talent pool.

In practical terms, this might look like a manufacturing company using our platform to automate quality control processes, freeing up skilled workers to focus on product innovation. Or a financial services firm using UiPath to streamline customer onboarding, improving efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Ultimately, we see the UiPath Business Automation Platform as a tool to help Southern African businesses overcome local challenges, compete globally, and drive economic growth.