UiPath Unveils New Developer Features at DevCon 2024

Recently, At the UiPath DevCon 2024 event, UiPath introduced a range of new platform features aimed at empowering developers to create, test, and expedite automation implementations.

UiPath DevCon convenes hundreds of AI and automation developers, architects, engineers, testers, and product managers for an in-depth exploration of innovation and collaboration opportunities within the UiPath Business Automation Platform.

“Developers remain at the center of our innovation efforts. Our quest to reimagine DevOps for automation developers with AI-led us to the creation of UiPath Autopilot,” said Munil Shah, Chief Technology Officer, UiPath Automation Cloud. “We are infusing Generative AI across all our products. We believe when AI is combined with automation, magic happens. It’s like combining an intelligent brain with a highly capable body to carry out powerful tasks.”

“With the UiPath developer community over 2 million, and developers and learners across 43 countries, the innovations we provide this community are essential in the AI and automation era,” said Daniel Dines, UiPath Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer. “To build modern automation, it is not only about driving the UI. Developers also need API integrations, data, and AI solutions. We are making it possible for developers to access all these constructs in one integrated platform.”

At UiPath DevCon, UiPath announced: 

·         UiPath Autopilot for Test Suite: Currently in public preview, Autopilot for Test Suite offers a set of advanced AI functionalities crafted to enhance testers' productivity across the complete testing lifecycle. Autopilot for Test Suite encompasses:

·         AI-Powered Quality Checks: Serves as an expert reviewer readily accessible to testers, analyzing requirements sourced from popular lifecycle tools like Jira or Azure DevOps, as well as documents such as a PDD (Process Design Document).

·         AI-Powered Test Design: Creates manual tests complete with step-by-step instructions derived from developers’ requirements and supporting documents, including workflows or design documents.

·         AI-Powered Test Automation: Effortlessly transforms any text, including manual test steps, into automated tests within UiPath Studio Desktop; and

·         AI-Powered Test Insights: Furnishes real-time, actionable insights into the test case portfolio, enabling swift issue resolution and nearly instantaneous continuous improvement.

“As organizations increasingly adopt GenAI and code assistants to create code more quickly, it is imperative to incorporate effective, continuous testing to help ensure code quality,” said Melinda Ballou, Research Director for IDC’s Agile ALM, Quality and Portfolio Strategies service. “IDC research also shows the benefits of AI and GenAI for software quality efficiencies to support high velocity software deployment, along with appropriate guardrails and governance. UiPath’s public preview of Autopilot for Test Suite enables users the opportunity to explore and expand existing adoption with these additional capabilities.”

UiPath Automation Marketplace and Solution Accelerators: To initiate an automation project, developers can commence their journey by exploring thousands of building blocks and templates available in the Automation Marketplace. UiPath has prioritized investments in its Solution Accelerators, a pre-built automation framework intended to facilitate quicker implementation and accelerate time-to-value. These Solution Accelerators comprise high-impact use cases defined by industry experts and customers, constructed using UiPath's best practices. Each accelerator typically includes workflows, models, process templates, custom connectors, and documentation, providing developers with everything they need to begin their projects promptly.

Generative AI Connectors: UiPath further supports customers' automation initiatives through the expansion of its Generative AI connectors collection. These connectors expedite the integration of Gen AI capabilities into automation workflows. By utilizing Gen AI connectors, developers gain seamless access to curated AI activities tailored to enhance various transactional and interactive use cases. These include generating text content and summaries for sales, marketing, social media, and customer support; image classification into numerous categories; and employing translation and transliteration to accommodate global workforces. Each UiPath connector allows developers to harness the capabilities of industry-leading LLM providers, such as OpenAI, Amazon SageMaker, Amazon Bedrock, Google Vertex, Anthropic, and others.

Improved developer capabilities for Integration Service: Developers receive additional support through enhanced features in Connector Builder, streamlining the creation of customized API integrations. A new Activity Designer empowers developers to visually craft their activities, leveraging enhanced support for events, all within a user-friendly low-code environment.

Availability of new India data center: UiPath Automation Cloud now extends its global reach with the introduction of new data centers, including one in India, effective April 2024. This expansion presents a strategic opportunity for both public and private sector customers and partners to optimize their infrastructure, applications, and data placement. The India data center addresses the escalating demand for cloud services, emphasizing business continuity and compliance. With high availability and low latency, it establishes a robust foundation for cloud deployment, enhancing accessibility and service efficiency for users.

Furthermore, during the 2024 UiPath Academic Summit in Bengaluru this week, UiPath unveiled initiatives aimed at fostering access and opportunity for Indians in the AI and automation era. Through the UiPath Academic Alliance program, in collaboration with FutureSkills Prime, other partners, and UiPath customers, the goal is to equip 500,000 Indians with AI and automation skills by 2027.