Your automation center of excellence is not understaffed. The backlog is the predictable outcome of an automation model that breaks every time the UI changes and halts whenever something unexpected happens. Instead of delivering value, your team spends six months per project just keeping the bots alive.
Why RPA breaks here
Most enterprise RPA still relies on brittle selectors and xpaths. When a UI refresh, a new region, or a minor layout tweak happens, the bot stops. The team must rebuild. Industry research shows that more than 50% of RPA maintenance time is spent on failing or drifting bots, not on new process innovation. A typical enterprise with a portfolio of hundreds of bots can spend months each year just on revalidation and rebuilding for the same process. The backlog grows not because you lack developers, but because the underlying product is designed for a world of stable, unchanging UIs.
What changes with computer use agents
- Survives UI changes without rebuilding
- No brittle selectors or xpaths required
- Recovers from exceptions and unexpected states
- Follows the SOP exactly as it is written
- Works on legacy applications, Citrix, and virtualized desktops
RPA is brittle by design; computer use agents are robust by construction.
How to move without the risk
You do not need to rip out your entire RPA estate tomorrow. Start with one high-priority, high-friction process where UI changes and exceptions are common. Build a standard operating procedure in plain language. Run a pilot with a computer use agent from Coasty. Measure rescue time, maintenance effort, and throughput. If you see a meaningful reduction in the time your team spends fixing bots, expand the approach to other processes. RPA will still excel at high-volume, deterministic backend tasks. Computer use agents are the durable answer for the long tail of changing UIs and exception-heavy work.
Don’t let another six-month backlog form. See how computer use agents fit your estate. Book a demo with the Coasty team at https://cal.com/coasty/15min.
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