Australia’s manufacturing sector is integral to the country’s economic framework, employing over 850,000 individuals and contributing approximately 6% to the national GDP.. However, challenges such as supply chain disruptions alongside workforce shortages, escalating energy costs and regulatory reforms have pushed the necessity for transformation within the sector.

Policy efforts like Future Made in Australia emphasise a renewed national commitment to rebuilding sovereign capability and invigorating advanced manufacturing. To deliver on this vision and maintain global competitiveness, Australian manufacturers need to look beyond traditional methods that are no longer fit for purpose. This requires finding new ways to deliver at speed, adopting new technologies and staying on top of increasingly complex compliance requirements.

One of the most promising developments enabling this shift is agentic automation – a new frontier in intelligent enterprise automation that is already beginning to reshape how leading manufacturers operate.

The rise of agentic automation

Agentic automation refers to a new generation of software agents – built on artificial intelligence (AI) –designed to autonomously pursue business outcomes. Unlike traditional rules-based automation, these agents use advanced capabilities such as large language models (LLMs) and other AI tools to perceive, reason and act towards specific goals with minimal human intervention.

Agents can understand context, interact with both structured and unstructured data, and manage complex tasks that span across legacy systems, cloud environments, and even physical devices on the factory floor.

Rather than executing isolated, pre-scripted tasks, agents can monitor, plan, and adapt to changing scenarios—whether that means resolving exceptions in production workflows, testing newly deployed applications, or coordinating between ERP systems and IoT-connected equipment.

Agentic automation orchestrates the work of agents, robotic process automation and human oversight in harmony to deliver real time intelligence and flexibility at the core of manufacturing operations.

Importantly, agentic automation is inherently scalable, able to scale up quickly to handle increased demand, respond quickly to market disruptions, or pivot to a new market. It provides the agility and speed manufacturers need to respond to ever changing business conditions.

Transforming manufacturing with agentic automation

 For Australian manufacturers, the value of agentic automation lies in its ability to speed up innovation and reduce operational friction. One of the most immediate applications is in testing – where agents can be deployed to test new technologies, software updates and physical device integration at a pace and scale that manual methods simply can’t match. This capability enables manufacturers to fast-track new automated processes to improve workflow efficiencies and overall productivity. For example, Australian manufacturers can use UiPath Test Cloud, a modern approach that applies AI agents across the entire testing lifecycle, to streamline the development of new workflows at reduced risk.

Beyond testing, agentic automation is helping manufacturers keep pace with the industry-wide transition from legacy systems to flexible, cloud-based environments. This is critical, as many organisations still use on-premise software that limits integration and slows down innovation. Agentic automation lets manufacturers seamlessly introduce automation into hybrid environments, bridging legacy infrastructure with cloud-native applications and unlocking new potential without requiring complex system overhauls.

Agentic automation also plays a vital role in ensuring regulatory compliance. Agents can continuously monitor systems, verify data integrity and enforce business rules – reducing the burden on teams while improving accuracy and adaptability. This is especially important in the manufacturing industry where quality control and accuracy in documentation are non-negotiables.

Another key advantage is the ability to unlock more advanced forms of modelling and optimisation. Agentic automation can analyse image data, detect patterns across production workflows and connect with IoT systems. This allows manufacturers to implement predictive maintenance and respond to operational changes as they happen. The result is a shift from static, siloed systems to intelligent, adaptive environments that improve uptime and boost overall output.

As Australia charts a new path for industrial growth, agentic automation will play a vital role in translating national ambition into practical outcomes.

It presents a clear path forward—enabling intelligent, autonomous systems that can test, adapt, and scale at speed. This empowers manufacturers to build smarter, more agile production environments that boost efficiency, enhance resilience and position the industry for sustainable growth.

UiPath is hosting Agentic Automation Summit events in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland this month.  To register visit: https://engage.uipath.com/anz-agentic-automation-summit-roadshow