---
title: "RPA (robotic process automation)"
description: "RPA, robotic process automation, uses software 'robots' that mimic a person clicking through applications: opening screens, copying fields, pressing buttons. It"
canonical: https://automataai.hu/en/glossary/rpa
language: en
publisher: Automata AI
updated: 2026-09-19
---

# What is RPA (robotic process automation)?

RPA, robotic process automation, uses software 'robots' that mimic a person clicking through applications: opening screens, copying fields, pressing buttons. It is useful for legacy systems without an API, but it is brittle, breaking when the interface changes, and it cannot interpret unstructured input on its own.

## RPA versus AI automation

RPA copies what a person does with their hands. AI automation copies what a person does with their head. Many modern projects combine both: an AI model reads the invoice, an RPA bot types the result into a 2005-era ERP that has no API.

|  | RPA | AI automation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Works via | Screen clicks | APIs and models |
| Handles unstructured input | No | Yes |
| Breaks when UI changes | Yes | No |
| Best for | Legacy systems without API | Reading, deciding, writing |

## FAQ

**Is RPA obsolete?**

Not where legacy software has no API. It is now usually the last mile of a workflow rather than the whole solution.

Related: https://automataai.hu/en/glossary/ai-automation, https://automataai.hu/en/glossary/workflow-automation, https://automataai.hu/en/glossary/api