UiPath: enhancing the customer experience and harnessing AI for transformation   

Veronica Martin spoke to Ashraf El Zarka, Vice President and Managing Director – MEA at UiPath, during GITEX 2024 about the evolution of their platform, their key offerings at GITEX 2024 and the importance of ethical frameworks in Generative AI.   

Can you outline to our readers what your company’s focus and theme is at this year’s GITEX 2024 – and what key products and solutions are you showcasing at your stand?  

This year, we are placing a strong emphasis on effectively communicating the value of Generative AI to the market and our stakeholders. Before diving into that, it’s important also to reflect on how our platform has evolved over the past six years. Initially focused solely on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), our platform has transformed into a comprehensive solution that integrates semantic capabilities augmented by AI. 

Today, our platform is fully end-to-end, with AI serving as the brain and RPA functioning as the muscles driving execution. This year, we are excited to share our AI narrative, highlighting how business users can leverage AI to make informed decisions. By building on our automation layer, we aim to empower users to harness the full potential of our applications. This is where our primary focus lies moving forward. 

The central theme of GITEX 2024 is AI. Can you provide our readers with a better understanding of how your company is leveraging AI to enhance your own product portfolio that is ultimately designed to deliver better outcomes for your customers? 

We initially gained recognition for our core Robotic Process Automation (RPA) solutions. However, we’ve made significant advancements by segmenting our platform into three key layers: Discovery, Automation, and Analysis. 

In the Discovery layer, we focus on enhancing our overall offering with AI-driven insights. We have introduced powerful tools such as communication mining and process mining, alongside various other products enriched with intelligent analytics. This foundation seamlessly feeds into our Automation layer, providing a comprehensive stack ready for execution. 

One of our standout products is Intelligent Document Processing, recognized globally by Forrester, IDC, and Gartner as a leading solution in its field. It’s included in the Magic Quadrant and is fully empowered by AI, integrating all legacy automation testing systems into a single platform. 

We’re committed to offering our customers flexibility with a hybrid model that includes SaaS, on-premises, and hybrid deployment options. This means customers are not restricted to a single solution; instead, they can choose the model that best suits their needs. Our Intelligent Document Processing leverages advanced large language models (LLMs) to deliver powerful capabilities tailored to our clients. 

The opportunities of Generative AI are boundless. However, there are valid ethical and data privacy concerns in relation to Gen AI. How important is it for robust regulations and frameworks to be established in order to safely accelerate the deployment of Gen AI across the enterprise space? 

Generative AI presents incredible opportunities, but it also raises important ethical and data privacy concerns. This highlights the necessity for robust regulations and frameworks to ensure a safe environment across the entire industry. 

Every day, we encounter these challenges, as security and vulnerability are top concerns for our customers. They want to understand how their systems are protected, how data privacy is maintained, and how secure their information is within their own security measures. 

To address these concerns, we prioritise keeping data within the customer’s environment. Even though we offer SaaS solutions, execution occurs on the cloud, ensuring that data remains fully masked and securely protected at all times. We comply with stringent data security standards, including ISO certifications, to provide our customers with peace of mind. Our commitment to data security means that their information is safeguarded and remains under their control. 

Outside of AI, what other trends do you see emerging across the technology landscape in 2025? 

Today, the spotlight is firmly on enhancing customer experience across all industries, whether in hospitality, finance, or retail. The primary goal is to attract and acquire more customers while providing exceptional service. To achieve this, businesses need a robust system that is not only efficient but also intelligent enough to understand customer behaviour and anticipate their next best actions. 

We’re witnessing a significant shift in focus toward delivering a better customer experience. Organisations recognise the importance of leveraging insights into customer behaviour to effectively tailor their services. If we lack an informative system that empowers customers to make informed decisions—such as what to buy next or which vendor to choose—we risk falling short of their expectations. 

In every sector the emphasis is on creating a superior customer experience through informed and strategic decision-making. By prioritising these elements, businesses can cultivate stronger relationships with their customers and drive long-term success. 

Image Credit: UiPath