Automation
In short
Automation is the use of machines or software to carry out a task with less direct human effort. It can follow fixed rules, respond to sensors, or use AI to handle decisions within set limits.
- Also called
- Automated process, Process automation
- Topic
- The AI business
- Level
- Beginner
- First described
- D. S. Harder of Ford is generally credited with introducing the word in the late 1940s for linked production operations4.
Automation means arranging a process so that equipment or software performs part of it without a person doing every step. It can be as simple as a conveyor controlling the movement of parts, or as flexible as software moving information between business systems12.
Traditional automation follows a known sequence or rule. AI automation adds a model that can interpret text, images or other inputs, then choose an action from the options its surrounding software allows2. That does not make the whole process autonomous: people may still set the goal, approve exceptions, check results or remain responsible for the outcome2.
Automation appears in factories, warehouses, offices and consumer apps. A no-code service can pass a new online form to a spreadsheet and notify a colleague, while industrial equipment can control production steps. The hard part is often not the software but handling unusual cases, poor data and the effects on the people doing the work13.
The word has a specific history. Ford manufacturing executive D. S. Harder used it in the late 1940s for linked machine operations, before the meaning widened beyond factories4.
Example
When an online shop receives an order, software can check payment, reduce the stock count, print a shipping label and email the customer without a worker retyping each detail.
Why it matters
Automation can save time and reduce repetitive work, but it can also change who makes decisions and who is accountable when a process goes wrong.
Questions people ask
Is automation the same as artificial intelligence?
No. Automation can use fixed rules, timers, sensors or machines. Artificial intelligence is one possible component when the process must interpret less-structured inputs or make predictions2.
Does automation always replace jobs?
No. It can remove particular tasks, change jobs or support workers. The ILO says exposure to generative AI is not the same as job loss and that most affected jobs are more likely to be transformed than made redundant3.
What is AI automation?
AI automation combines an AI model with software that can take actions. The model may classify a request or draft a response, while rules and permissions determine what the system is allowed to do2.
Related terms
Tools that use it
- ZapierNo-code automation service that links thousands of apps so tasks run between them without manual work.
- Zapier AgentsZapier's AI agents that research and carry out tasks across thousands of connected work apps.