Automation: how much is too much?

Abstract

The headlong rush to automate continues apace. The dominant question still remains whether we can automate, not whether we should automate. However, it is this latter question that is featured and considered explicitly here. The suggestion offered is that unlimited automation of all technical functions will eventually prove anathema to the fundamental quality of human life. Examples of tasks, pursuits and past-times that should potentially be excused from the automation imperative are discussed. This deliberation leads us back to the question of balance in the cooperation, coordination and potential conflict between humans and the machines they create.

Abstract

Practitioner Summary: The reason for this work is to examine how much automation is too much. The investigational form is synthetic in nature. The major finding is – it depends? Each design decision of practitioners as to what to automate and when is, therefore, critical and fateful.

Keywords::

• automation
• limitations
• design restrictions

Acknowledgements

I am very grateful for the helpful comments of John Senders on an earlier version of this paper as well as those of the Editors themselves and the respective reviewers for the Special Issue.