Automation and why it’s not taking your job

Automation is a hot topic and is reaching new applications every day, but this should be embraced instead of feared.

Automation used to be seen as some sort of wizardry which was confined to the world of IT and software engineers. The intent of automation is to take out the data intensive, risky or precision requiring tasks to remove error, repetitive strain and risk of injury for the people who had to do these jobs.

Machines and programs are literally manufactured to bear this load. Humans only have one body and, in some industries, it only takes one incident to change your life. Also, does anyone actually enjoy doing the same mind-numbing task over and over again for a year let alone as a career?

The thing that separates people from machines is our creativity, analytical skills and problem solving skills. Studying current applications, if automation is done well it frees up people from doing the jobs they hate and gives them time to focus on the more cognitively difficult processes that require human decision making. This is significantly more fulfilling than “going through the motions” on a process that is repetitive and easily automatable.

On top of this, people are always going to be needed where automation is introduced. Every automation process has “exceptions”, which are cases that don’t fit the bill. These exceptions are traditionally complex or confusing and require detailed analysis. Automation takes away the pressure to get through more cases while allowing you to focus on the cases that really need your attention.

As automation gets introduced to each industry, the industry evolves and expands, and the same people can do so much more fulfilling, value adding tasks.

If you’re interested in hearing more, there is a great TED talk you can watch here:

Read how VAPAR with its AI software is helping councils and utilities improve their sewer inspections here.