The multi-billion dollar market Anthropic’s Claude Computer Use would Disrupt: RPA
Via Claude Computer Use, AI will disrupt Automation that itself was disrupting white collar work
Technology has had many pivotal moments that reshape how we engage with it. Just as the iPhone made smartphones accessible, and WordPress revolutionized website creation, Anthropic’s Claude Computer use, on upgraded Sonet 3.5, released on October 22, 2024 could do the same for Robotic Process Automation, commonly known as RPA. This a bit ironic: AI disrupting Automation that itself was disrupting white collar jobs.
Claude’s ability to interact with computers like humans — reading screens, clicking, typing, and adapting to changing environments — is groundbreaking for RPA
DIY Automation: A New Era Has Just Begun
RPA is a technology that uses software robots or “bots” to automate repetitive, rule-based digital tasks by mimicking human actions on computer systems, such as clicking, typing, copying data, or navigating between applications and screens.
RPA is widely deployed in banking, insurance, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, telco, and government sectors to automate repetitive tasks like data entry, claims processing, account reconciliation, customer service, HR operations, and regulatory compliance reporting. It is a fast growing industry with a global market size of ~$2.65 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach $23.9 billion by 2030, expanding ~38% annually.
RPA, on its track to disrupt many industries, may now become the “Exhibit A” of how AI will disrupt Automation that was disrupting manual white collar work
Redefining RPA Barriers
Traditional RPA has always been like building with LEGO — technically powerful but requiring expertise to use effectively. Companies spend thousands of dollars on licenses, consultants, and maintenance just to automate simple tasks. When interfaces change or systems update, these automations often break, requiring expensive fixes.
Claude’s skillset changes all that. It interprets what it’s seeing on a screen, allowing users to automate tasks intuitively. Imagine telling your AI to “download the sales report every Monday, create a summary, and email it to the team” and watching it handle the rest — no costly consultants, pre-programming or regular fixes required when something changes.
The DIY RPA is Here
The potential from the democratization of RPA is huge. Small business owners can now automate their workflows without consultants. Office workers could experiment and build their own automations on the fly.
This is already shaking up the RPA industry. Companies like UIPath, the industry leader with 35% market share, have integrated Claude, recognizing both the opportunity and the threat. But the real question: will businesses still need expensive RPA platforms when they can tell AI what to do?
The Cost Disruption and Real World Benefit
Traditional RPA isn’t cheap, with following being the major components of the cost
- Enterprise RPA license: $8,000-$15,000/year per bot
- Implementation: $5,000-$15,000 per process
- Maintenance: $2,000-$5,000/year
Compare that to Claude-based automation, where costs revolve around pay-per-use APIs, setup takes minutes, and updates happen automatically as AI learns and adjusts.
Take Sarah, a small business owner who spent $20,000 last year automating inventory management. Soon, a series of simple conversations with Claude Computer Use, who can be progranmmed by her 16 years old son, could do the same thing — faster and cheaper. It’s not just about cutting costs, but speeding up and simplifying the entire process.
Challenges and What’s Next
Claude’s computer use is still in beta, with issues like screen resolution and security concerns. Human oversight is still needed, especially for sensitive tasks, and frequent API use can add up.
But this is just the start. Just as the first iPhone had its rough edges, rapid improvements are likely as more users adopt and drive the technology forward. Just as website builders made web development easy, Claude’s skills could empower individuals and small businesses to automate without experts.
New roles could emerge — “automation consultants” specializing in AI prompts, or “automation strategists” helping businesses streamline with AI tools.
Conclusion
Automation is undergoing a massive shift. Traditional RPA vendors will need to evolve, possibly offering AI management tools rather than being the automation engine themselves.
For businesses, this means the power to automate is shifting to individuals. Those who embrace conversational, adaptable automation will get ahead, while others may struggle to keep up.
The question now is: What would you automate if you could simply have a conversation with an AI? The answer might change the way you work.
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