Robotic process automation clicks through screens; AI agents reason over data. How they differ and when to use each.
The short answer
RPA bots mimic clicks and keystrokes in fixed sequences. AI agents understand content and adapt to variation. RPA suits stable legacy screens; agents suit varied inputs and drafting work.
Key takeaways
| RPA | AI agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Works via | User interface | APIs and content |
| Handles change | Poorly | Well, within instructions |
| Typical task | Data entry in legacy apps | Drafting, checking, summarising |
Legacy systems without APIs and fully stable processes.
Anything involving reading, writing or judgment. Many teams pair an agent with RPA for systems lacking APIs. See connecting agents to your systems, or how Switch connects agents to your tools.
No, but its role is narrowing to legacy integration.
How this guide was made
Written and reviewed by our editors against vendor documentation, public regulation texts and practitioner interviews. We update guides when products or rules change. Tools mentioned may have a commercial relationship with this site; this never decides what we recommend.
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