From Human Input to Automation
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have witnessed the birth of the internet boom in the late '90s. It was an exciting time—possibly one of my favorite eras. One moment, we lived in a world where the concept of an online presence didn’t exist, and the next, everything started shifting. More and more of my friends were getting computers, connecting to the internet, and discovering an entirely new way to interact with the world.
Practically overnight, personal computers weren’t just for tech enthusiasts—they were everywhere. In 1999, I saved up enough money to buy my first desktop computer: a Compaq Presario 5147. I loved that machine. If you had a PC with an internet connection, you could do so much—write documents, browse the web, play games, watch DVDs, send emails, etc.
Productivity software became a game-changer, allowing us to get more done. I took a particular liking to Excel—there was something empowering about manipulating data, running formulas, and making sense of numbers. A few years later, I landed my first white-collar job—one where I swapped physical labor for working on a computer—and it felt like I had stepped into another world. Suddenly, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint became my daily tools.
Looking back, it’s clear that using productivity software has always required a lot of manual input. The keyboard has been our primary tool. We spend hours entering data into programs, using formulas and commands to manipulate that data, and generating useful reports.
But that’s about to change.
We’re entering an era where we’ll be able to communicate with software using plain language. Instead of manually inputting data and running formulas, we’ll simply tell our AI agents what we need—and they’ll handle the rest. Want a report? A summary? A database update? Just ask.
To make this future possible, we need AI agents that can understand and execute tasks based on natural language instructions. These agents will act like intelligent assistants, helping us automate complex workflows and freeing us from repetitive digital labor.
To me, this is a huge opportunity—and a trend I want to be part of. I’ve identified a company that’s leading this shift into Agentic AI and redefining how we work with computers.
The Rise of Agentic AI
There’s a hot new trend brewing—one that’s set to change how we work and interact with computers forever. It’s called Agentic AI, and while it’s still in its early days, I believe it’s about to take off in a big way.
For decades, we’ve had to learn how to work with computers—memorizing shortcuts, formulas, and commands to get software to do what we want. But with Agentic AI, that dynamic flips. Instead of us adapting to computers, computers will adapt to us.
That’s the promise of Agentic AI. A system that understands context, takes action on its own, and doesn’t just respond to commands—it anticipates needs and proactively helps get work done.
We’re now seeing the convergence of Robotic Process Automation (RPA) and Agentic AI, and this is where things get really exciting.
RPA has been around for years, automating repetitive tasks in finance, HR, and IT—things like data entry, invoice processing, and compliance checks. But traditional RPA is rigid; it follows predefined workflows and doesn’t think for itself. Now, with AI layered on top, these automation systems are evolving into something smarter, more flexible, and capable of making decisions on their own.
And there’s one company that I believe is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this shift.
UiPath: The Automation Pioneer
If there’s one company that stands at the crossroads of RPA and Agentic AI, it’s UiPath.
Founded in 2005 by Daniel Dines and Marius Tîrcă in Romania, UiPath started as a small software outsourcing firm. Prior to this, Dines spent approximately four years at Microsoft in Seattle, starting in 2001. Dines had a vision that would redefine how businesses automate tasks. Over the years, UiPath evolved into a leader in Robotic Process Automation (RPA), helping companies automate repetitive, rule-based processes to improve efficiency and cut costs.
The company took off in the 2010s as businesses realized that automating mundane tasks—things like processing invoices, managing databases, and handling back-office workflows—could save millions in labor costs. By 2018, UiPath had become one of the fastest-growing enterprise software companies in history, with major corporations across industries using its automation platform.
Today, UiPath is no longer just an RPA company. It’s expanding into AI-driven automation, blending traditional RPA with intelligent, self-learning software agents that can do more than just follow scripts—they can think, adapt, and execute tasks with minimal human input.
This shift puts UiPath at the center of the Agentic AI revolution.
Financials
Annual Financial Information
| In USD$ | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenues | $336M | $607M | $892M | $1,058M |
| Gross Profit | $278M | $542M | $723M | $880M |
| Gross Margin | 83% | 89% | 81% | 83% |
| Net Income(loss) | ($520M) | ($95M) | ($509M) | ($295M) |
| EPS | ($3.4) | ($0.5) | ($1.2) | ($0.6) |
| Shares Outstanding | 152M | 168M | 455M | 548M |
| Cash | $232M | $461M | $1,865M | $1,757M |
| Debt | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| FCF Margins | -112% | 4.5% | -7.2% | -3.2% |
| Free Cash Flows (outflows) | ($375M) | $27.5M | ($64M) | ($34M) |
Financial Results
UiPath is a solid company with a growing revenues, a strong balance sheet, and impressive gross and free cash flow margins. Its most recent earnings report for Q3 fiscal 2025 (ended October 31, 2024) reinforces this momentum, showing that the company continues to execute well in an expanding market.
At its FORWARD user conference in October, UiPath introduced its vision for Agentic Automation—an evolution of RPA that combines AI agents, automation bots, and human collaboration to drive enterprise-wide transformation. This vision is key to the company’s next phase of growth, as it shifts from simple task automation to intelligent, end-to-end workflow automation.
Some of its recent initiatives include:
Trendpost Takeaway
As RPA and AI continue to merge, UiPath is positioning itself as the automation platform for enterprises looking to streamline operations and embrace AI-powered digital assistants. In my view, the company is at the right place at the right time to capitalize on this massive shift.
I see a future where automation—specifically Agentic Automation, as UiPath calls it—becomes a core pillar of large enterprises. In a world where companies are under constant pressure to boost productivity and do more with less, Agentic AI will play a crucial role in making that happen. That’s a powerful tailwind for PATH.
Of course, no investment is without risk. UiPath faces competition from companies like Appian (NASDAQ:APPN) and Blue Prism, and tech giants like Microsoft and Google could eventually become serious players in this space.
That said, I’m not overly concerned about competition. This isn’t a commoditized industry—building enterprise automation at scale requires deep expertise, strong partnerships, and a proven track record. UiPath is already integrating with major enterprise platforms like SAP, solidifying its foothold in the space. The market opportunity is vast, and there’s plenty of room for multiple winners.
I bought shares of PATH in December at $13.25 and have already lowered my cost basis to $13 by selling covered calls and collecting premiums. With a strong balance sheet, high margins, and consistent revenue growth, I believe UiPath has the potential to be worth a lot more in the future.
This is a long-term play, and at these prices, I’m adding it to my 10X Picks.
Where's the Gold?
Gold keeps climbing, now nearing $3,000 per ounce. There are rumors of a shortage in gold bullion, and someone is quietly moving a large amount of gold from London to New York. When big money moves like this, it’s worth paying attention.
There’s talk that the war in Ukraine could be nearing an end. If that happens, it could bring commodity prices down, especially oil. But at the same time, we might be entering an arms race, where major countries ramp up defense spending and stockpile resources. That would be bullish for commodities. It’s hard to say which way things will go.
Closer to home, anti-American sentiment is growing in Canada due to tariffs. This might help local producers in the short term, but if tensions escalate, both economies could suffer. More real estate listings are hitting the market, layoffs are creeping in, and signs of a slowdown are building. Southwest Airlines is cutting 15% of its workforce—another red flag for the economy.
Consumer sentiment is shifting, too. Walmart’s latest earnings report showed that shoppers are pulling back, and the market reacted badly. When the world’s largest retailer reports weaker spending, it’s a sign that something is changing. On the other hand, the Trump administration’s push to bring government employees back to the office full-time could give a much-needed boost to downtown businesses and commercial real estate.
Meanwhile, political uncertainty keeps growing. There’s talk of the U.S. taking military action against drug cartels in Mexico. If that actually happens, there’s a real risk of retaliatory attacks from cartel sleeper cells inside the U.S.
What I’m Doing
With all this happening, I’m staying patient. I’ve waited this long for a market correction, and I’m not about to jump in now just because prices moved a little. I’m still over 75% in cash and keeping my distance.
That said, I made two small investments in copper and gold. For copper, I started a 40% position in Amerigo Resources—a company I’ve been watching for nearly two years. I finally decided to buy at these prices as a hedge in case we see a global rush for commodities. For gold, I took a 30% position in Equinox Gold. I should have bought it months ago at lower prices, but for now, I’m just dipping my toes in. This is a hedge—if all this talk about gold revaluation turns out to be real, and gold skyrockets, I want to have some exposure.
The world is changing fast, and I don’t know if we’re heading for boom times or something much tougher. That’s why I’m balancing holding plenty of cash while also staying invested in the right sectors—just in case markets take off. It’s about being prepared for both possibilities.
Remember that the content of this newsletter is neither a stock recommendation nor investment advice. This is just something to consider. You can access my watchlist and portfolio through the link below. By clicking the link below you accept all responsibility for any potential losses that might result from buying any of the stocks mentioned in this newsletter.