RPA or AI? Start with the task.
The choice becomes easier when you describe what each step needs to do. Copying a known field into a known place is different from understanding a customer’s message. They can belong to the same workflow without needing the same technology.
Use rules where the answer is defined.
Required fields, calculations and predictable routing usually belong in ordinary business logic. RPA can help when the task has to operate through an existing application interface. An API may be a better option when the application provides one and the required access is available.
Use AI where interpretation is useful.
A message may express the same request in many different ways. AI can help classify the intent, extract relevant details or prepare a summary. Its output still needs to be checked against the purpose of the step. A plausible answer is not automatically a valid business record.
Choose a first workflow you can inspect.
Begin with a process that has a clear owner, understandable inputs and a result you can evaluate. Collect examples of normal work and exceptions. Agree what the system may do automatically and where a person should review the result.
