How to Trust a Bot: An RPA User Perspective

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) has taken the industry by storm in recent years. Many organisations are keen to adopt RPA technology to dramatically improve their operational efficiency and digitally transform their business operations. However, industry reports and early academic research papers on RPA have highlighted various challenges associated with the use of RPA. Trust is one of the key factors that poses a challenge on the organisational acceptance of RPA. In this paper, we analysed the IS literature on trust to build an initial RPAtrust conceptual model. We then collected primary data from a selected group of RPA users to explore, explain, and confirm the factors that hinder building the user trust in bots using IT-artefact and Integrative model of organisational trust theories. The outcomes of this study are summarised in a conceptual model for RPA trust that will help organisations to build their strategies to effectively introduce and sustain RPA technology in their daily operations.

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