Digital Workers: What CIOs and IT Directors Need to Know

Navigating the Digital Revolution: The Role of CIOs and IT Directors

With so much discussion around AI, ChatGPT, automation and what the future workplace might look like, many businesses are starting to investigate how they might utilise such technology. But as various departments from Finance to HR, Sales to Operations, start to want to deploy these tools, what does that mean for CIO’s and their teams – and how can they support these initiatives whilst ensuring existing security and integrity are protected?

At Centelli, we provide our clients with what we call Digital Workers, virtual teammates and co-workers which help organisations skyrocket their efficiency through intelligent automation and AI. They might sound like sci-fi, but they’re today’s reality.

Yet here at Centelli we also understand that incorporating Digital Workers might sound like a big step. There’s often a natural apprehension about their integration. Will they mesh with existing systems? Could they become an IT nightmare? Might they pose security vulnerabilities? You can rest easy knowing that the Centelli teams work carefully to ensure our Digital Workers seamlessly blend with your current operations. In this article, we’ll go through some common concerns we see from IT professionals… and hopefully help to demystify Digital Workers.

Fitting Right In:

One question we are often asked is if introducing Digital Workers would conflict with the systems and processes an organisation already has in place. Not to worry- Digital Workers are designed to be non-intrusive, mirroring current operations without altering anything your people already do. Thanks to their adaptability, they can sit over your existing applications and use the current hardware, imitating keystrokes and mouse clicks just like a human. In fact, they get system ID’s just like a person would, so it really is like onboarding a new colleague without having to provide a desk!

Old Systems, New Tricks:

Some CIOs and IT Directors have also worried about attempting to integrate Digital Workers while their organisation still uses older applications. This is no cause for concern. If an application can be used by a human, our Digital Workers can operate it too – ultimately meaning that you can continue to sweat older IT assets.

When to Integrate:

All that said, it is important to note that the integration timeline may change a bit if your organisation is about to upgrade one or more of your applications imminently. Whether you should go right ahead with onboarding a Digital Worker depends on a few different factors.

If your updates are due within a 2-3 month window, it might be best to wait. But for any longer timelines, the potential return on investment from Digital Workers is still significant. Typically, these virtual assistants can deliver tangible ROI within 3-6 months. Moreover, in instances of large-scale changes like ERP transitions, Digital Workers can actually play an invaluable role in smoothing the process and keeping operations simple. In that case, why not work with Centelli to help your business transition?

The IT Demands:

Beyond systems and processes, any CIO will also want to know what infrastructural management will be needed from their IT department, and luckily Digital Workers are quite light on demands. They operate primarily on Virtual Machines (aka “Virtual Laptops”). The unique IT requirements pretty much end there – their logistical needs are no more complicated than that of a human employee, minus the need for physical devices and login details. (In fact, we’ve deployed a plethora of Digital Workers who now set-up and manage the entire company’s access to systems via on-boarding and off-boarding, which totally frees-up the time of the IT team!).

Safe and Secure:

Let’s address the elephant in the room – security. It’s natural for anyone in the tech industry to wonder about the safety of these virtual newcomers. The facts are that Digital Workers from Centelli come equipped with stringent security measures that parallel human employees. Their digital nature even gives them an edge; their risk of error is greatly reduced. So, when it comes to handling sensitive data, they’re as safe, and reliable, as a human employee.

In Conclusion…

As CIOs and IT Directors, it’s part of your role to discern the novelties from the game-changers. Digital Workers, with their adaptability, efficiency, and secure functionality, are proving to be more than a fleeting trend. They represent an evolution in how we understand and approach work, and Centelli believes they can be a huge benefit to any business.

If you’re interested in how AI, automation and our Digital Workers can really make a difference – or you have questions about the process – don’t hesitate to get in touch with Centelli! We’re here to provide any information you need and will help determine the best approach for your unique organisation. Let’s reshape the future of technology together!