Artificial Intelligence
Automation
Plain English
Getting glossarySystemA system is a collection of interconnected components that work together to achieve a specific function or outcome.Open glossary term to do work for you.
Definition
Automation is the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal human intervention.
In practice
Used to streamline repetitive tasks such as glossaryData ProcessingData processing is the transformation of raw data into a usable format through cleaning, structuring, and analysis.Open glossary term, content generation, and glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term.
In context
The trap is automating a broken glossaryProcessA process is a defined sequence of steps used to achieve a specific outcome.Open glossary term. It runs faster, produces more of the wrong output, and is now harder to change because someone built tooling around it.
The reality
Automation can reduce effort but often requires setup, monitoring, and maintenance to work effectively.
Compared with
Automation vs Augmentation
Automation removes the person from the step. Augmentation keeps them and makes them faster. For decisions with consequences, augmentation is usually the safer design and the easier one to get adopted.
FAQ
Common questions
A few practical answers to the questions that usually come up around this term.
What is automation?
It is using technology to perform tasks without manual input.
Why is automation important?
It saves time, reduces errors, and improves glossaryEfficiencyEfficiency measures how quickly and easily users can complete tasks once they are familiar with a system.Open glossary term.
What can be automated?
Repetitive tasks like glossaryData ProcessingData processing is the transformation of raw data into a usable format through cleaning, structuring, and analysis.Open glossary term, glossaryWorkflowA workflow is a defined sequence of tasks or steps required to complete a process.Open glossary term, and content generation.
What are risks of automation?
Over-reliance, errors at scale, and lack of oversight.
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