What to expect from UiPath Forward VI

The Computer Weekly Developer Network team is headed to UiPath Forward VI, which is the sixth iteration of this event if you happen to struggle with Roman Numerals. Having been tracking all things Robotic Process Automation with UiPath since Forward III, now is an interesting time to get back to the show and see how the organisation’s platform has evolved.

As if a reminder were needed TechTarget, defines RPA as the use of software with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) capabilities to handle high-volume, repeatable tasks that previously required humans to perform.

AI at work

Theming the event with the term ‘WORK’ front and centre, UiPath is clearly keen to talk about AI at work and the practical implementation of automation technology in modern cloud-centric (often now hybrid) workplaces, workflows and human-machine working realms.

The main conference is detailed as two and a half days of ‘insight, inspiration and education’ and UiPath says it wants to talk openly about the future of innovation with a lineup of sessions, speakers, use cases and networking opportunities.

Now with a specifically engineered TechEd day, the company is hosting a special section of specially curated content for the software engineers and the more technically minded, a group that includes CoE [Center of Excellence] champions and AI and automation pros.

Key speakers

Key speakers at the event itself will of course include Daniel Dines, co-founder & co-CEO at UiPath, Rob Enslin in his role as co-CEO at UiPath as well us UiPath chief product officer Graham Sheldon.

Shweta Maniar, director, healthcare & life sciences solutions, Google Cloud – biopharma/biotech, Google.
Edward Mitchell, UK lead for intelligent automation, EY.
Jairo Quiros, SVP, global business services & head of global RPA/AI CoE, Equifax.

Guest speakers also include Walter Isaacson, an inspirational author and journalist who will tell stories touching on innovators from Leonardo da Vinci to Ben Franklin to Steve Jobs and Elon Musk as he looks at what the secrets are to being creative and innovative. Other speakers include the below names:

Isaacson tells the story of how [these innovators’] minds worked, what made them so creative and how their ability to collaborate and master the art of teamwork made them even more creative. For an era that seeks to foster innovation, creativity, and teamwork, Isaacson reveals to audiences how these renowned figures actually made it happen.

“You’ve been hearing a lot lately about AI – but at Forward VI we’ll also have a lot of human intelligence on hand. At Expertsville [the show floor public meeting and exhibition are], more than 300 AI, automation and process experts from UiPath and our partners will be available to meet 1:1 to answer questions, talk through challenges and recommend new approaches. You’ll get the insight of the engineers who design and build UiPath technologies. Plus, at the industry roundtables, attendees can join discussions on how automation is addressing specific challenges in your sector,” said Mary Tetlow, chief brand officer at UiPath.

Recent product updates from UiPath (that will likely be showcased at the conference) include Project Wingman, which enables customers to create powerful automations from simple natural language prompts.

Project Wingman is now available in private preview for select customers.

RPA for all

Project Wingman is designed to fundamentally enhance automation creation for developers by providing a user-friendly experience and leveraging generative AI to make the UiPath platform more accessible to those without programming experience.

“‘Project Wingman’ brings together our AI Computer Vision’s deep understanding of computer screens with Generative AI. Using simple natural language prompts, users can uncover endless possibilities by creating automations that combine specialised AI trained with proprietary data with the intelligence of Generative AI. At UiPath, our mission is to allow every employee to unlock new potential and automate all knowledge work,” said Dr. Edward Challis, head of AI strategy at UiPath.

RPA has evolved today to the extent that we are now witnessing a range of job titles specifically aligned to automation roles including RPA developers, RPA consultants and RPA project managers – in fact, South Africa has become the first country in EMEA to create a national RPA qualification, so there is much to learn here.

Our bags are packed and we’re ready to go – UiPath Forward VI is staged at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas from October 9-12, 2023.