The Rise of Agent-Based AI: Atlassian ROVO and the Future of Document Automation

Oct 16, 2024

There’s no question that agent-based AI is reshaping the way teams work today. From simplifying mundane tasks to improving collaboration and knowledge sharing, AI agents are becoming indispensable. And let’s face it—if you're part of the Atlassian ecosystem, ROVO AI is the shiny new toy everyone’s talking about. But is it really the all-in-one solution it’s touted to be? Does it work for everyone?

In this post, we’ll take a deeper look at Atlassian ROVO—now generally available—and break down its features, the opportunities it brings, and the potential gaps it leaves open for tools like FastDoc to step in. Whether you're looking at AI-powered tools for Jira, Confluence, or even document automation, there’s a lot to unpack here.

ROVO AI: General Availability and What It Actually Does

So, what is ROVO AI? In a nutshell, it’s Atlassian’s AI-powered assistant, built to streamline workflows, centralize knowledge, and boost productivity across teams. It’s the AI that comes in, listens to your commands, and helps you navigate the mess that complex projects often become.

Introduced at Team '24 in Las Vegas and now generally available after the announcement at Team '24 EU in Barcelona, ROVO AI promises a ton of automation. But here’s the thing—it’s only available in Atlassian’s premium tiers. If you're running a team on a budget, this might already start raising some red flags.

Here’s a closer look at what ROVO AI can actually do:

AI-Powered Search

ROVO simplifies the search process by scanning everything—from Jira issues to Confluence pages and third-party apps like Google Drive. No more hopping between platforms, saving you hours of endless navigation.

ROVO Chat

Need quick answers? Just ask ROVO Chat. It pulls relevant insights from your team’s data, acting like a virtual project manager that’s always up to speed. Plus, it respects your existing permissions.

Customizable Agents

ROVO agents automate tasks like generating release notes from Jira issues. While useful, it’s not the most flexible option—FastDoc offers more customization for teams needing advanced features (more on that later).

Integration Capabilities

ROVO integrates smoothly with Slack, Microsoft Teams, GitHub, and Google Drive, making it easy for teams that live in these tools to connect everything seamlessly.

But here’s the catch—ROVO AI is not cheap, and it’s not included in Atlassian’s Premium or Enterprise Cloud editions. You have to pay extra to get access to these features, so unless your team has the budget, it’s not necessarily accessible to everyone.

Atlassian Intelligence: More Tools in the AI Arsenal

Beyond ROVO AI, Atlassian Intelligence also offers a suite of AI-powered tools to make life easier for project managers and team leads. Some of the key ones include:

Work Breakdown in Jira

This feature automates the tedious process of breaking down complex issues into smaller subtasks. It saves a lot of time for teams constantly managing multi-layered projects.

AI-Powered Editor in Confluence

This is great for teams who need to crank out consistent, clear documentation fast. The AI editor helps draft and refine content, making sure everything’s polished without a lot of back-and-forth edits.

Virtual Agent in Jira Service Management

The virtual agent handles routine support tickets, providing real-time responses through platforms like Slack. It’s a huge time-saver for customer support teams and helps maintain efficiency.

These tools are all about minimizing human input on repetitive tasks, allowing teams to focus on more value add tasks.

FastDoc: An Affordable, Customizable Solution for Document Automation

Now, let’s talk about FastDoc. While ROVO AI is all about automating specific tasks (and doing it quite well, especially in search and communication), FastDoc takes a broader, more customizable approach—especially when it comes to document automation.

Why FastDoc Stands Out

More Than Just Release Notes: Unlike ROVO AI’s release drafter agent, FastDoc offers comprehensive document automation for multiple types of content—user guides, technical documentation, help articles, marketing materials, you name it. And the best part? You can customize your templates and tone to fit your audience perfectly.
Built on Forge: Since FastDoc is built on Atlassian’s Forge platform, it’s secure and already AI-ready. This means FastDoc can leverage all the power of AI while staying flexible enough to meet the unique needs of Agile teams.
User-Friendly and Customizable: FastDoc makes it easy to generate documents, personalize them, and tweak the content without complex configurations. It’s straightforward, intuitive, and doesn’t require the premium pricing that comes with ROVO AI.

If you're in the market for a tool that automates documentation, FastDoc is the tool to go with. It offers flexibility, ease of use, and—here’s the kicker—a much lower price point.

Atlassian Marketplace and the Shift to Forge

There’s a bigger shift happening in the Atlassian Marketplace as well, and it’s worth addressing. Most popular marketplace apps are built on Connect, a legacy platform that Atlassian is trying to phase out. ROVO AI agents are built on Forge, Atlassian’s more advanced, AI-ready infrastructure.

For marketplace partners still on Connect, moving to Forge is both an opportunity and a challenge. On one hand, you get to integrate directly with all these advanced AI-driven tools. On the other hand, the shift requires a serious commitment to adapting to new infrastructure and scaling challenges.

Luckily, FastDoc is already built on Forge, making it future-proof and capable of leveraging the latest AI-powered innovations without the hassle.

Conclusion: ROVO AI and FastDoc—Two Sides of the AI Coin

There’s no denying that Atlassian ROVO is a powerful tool for teams with the budget and need for advanced AI-powered solutions. Its ability to centralize knowledge, automate routine tasks, and connect with third-party apps makes it a great choice for teams willing to invest in premium features.

But for teams looking for more flexibility, especially when it comes to document automation, FastDoc is a better fit. It’s affordable, customizable, and—because it’s built on Forge—AI-ready for whatever comes next in the world of team collaboration.