automation
Let an agent explain automation and its kinds, relay technologies, benefits and risks from engineering, economics and policy sources with attribution, describe software and decision automation, and distinguish automation from mechanisation, artificial intelligence and autonomy.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain automation and its kinds, relay technologies, benefits and risks from engineering, economics and policy sources with attribution, describe software and decision automation, and distinguish automation from mechanisation, artificial intelligence and autonomy.
The use of technology to perform tasks with reduced human intervention, from industrial process control and robotics to software automation such as test automation, automatic software updates, archive automation and the automation of systematic reviews, and to automated decision-making by algorithms; automation raises questions of productivity, employment, safety and accountability that are debated across economics, engineering and law.
What it is for: Performing tasks with less human intervention.
It can be explain kinds; relay technologies and effects; describe software and decision automation; distinguish related concepts.
Distinguishing features
Reduced human intervention
Physical and digital
Productivity effects
Accountability questions
What it looks like
Not a visible object; machines and software acting without direct control.
Physical character
industrial robots installed worldwide: about 4 million - estimates
levels of automation: from manual to full note - various scales
GDPR article 22: rights on automated decisions note
How it is recognised
Technology performing tasks with reduced human intervention
Industrial automation, test automation, automatic updates, archive automation, systematic review automation, automated decision-making
Mechanisation replaces muscle; AI is a technology used in some automation; autonomy is self-governance
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is a kind of - in registry terms
is contrasted with - which replaces physical effort
is enabled by - and computing
In practice
Families and kinds
industrial and process automation
robotics
office and business process automation
software automation including test automation and automatic updates
automation in research such as archive and systematic review automation
automated decision-making
Standards and regulation
IEC and ISO standards for industrial automation and machine safety
GDPR and other laws on automated decision-making
EU AI Act
Failure modes and hazards
Safety incidents from automation failures
Partisan framing of employment effects
Registry aliases mixing unrelated domains
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.automation-artifact
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What automation is.
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is automation, and how does it differ from mechanisation, AI and autonomy? definition
- Is the question about the concept, a domain, a technology or policy? boundary
Kinds
Kinds.
Kinds
Kinds.
- What are industrial, software, research and decision automation, including the specific aliases in the registry? definition
- Which entry fits the specific kind? action
Technology Technology.
Science.
Industrial
Industrial automation.
Industrial
Industrial.
- How do control systems, PLCs and robots automate industry? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Software
Software automation.
Software
Software.
- How do test automation, automatic updates and workflow tools automate software work? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Effects Effects and debate.
Attribution.
Economy
Employment and productivity.
Economy
Economy.
- What does research say about automation, jobs and productivity, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation neutral? boundary
Decisions
Automated decisions.
Decisions
Decisions.
- What are the accountability and rights questions around automated decision-making, and how do laws address them? provenance
- Which entry fits automated decision-making? action
Context History and safety.
Context.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did automation develop from the Jacquard loom and feedback control to modern systems? provenance
- Which entry fits the history of automation? action
Safety
Safety.
Safety
Safety.
- How are automated systems made safe, and what have failures taught? provenance
- Which entry fits functional safety? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should industrial automation, test automation and automated decision-making be separate primary entries?
- How should engineering and policy sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming unrelated software and research topics; should they be split off?