Automation is removing human intervention from systems

August 6, 2025
tl;dr: I read some of Elena Alston's articles on Zapier's blog and loved the CRM automation call example. That seamless integration of AI after a sales call really blew me away. This is what makes learning about AI automation so fun!

Yesterday, I read the first five articles of Top 10 AI automation articles from Zapier's blog in 2025, all written by Elena Alston.

These articles are packed with a tremendous number of AI automation examples. They make you think: AI automation will be everywhere, and that's truly exciting.

In Why pairing AI with automation will change how you work I found my favorite example:

Picture this:

You attend a call with a potential prospect who shows interest in your product.

  1. After you hang up, AI sifts through the conversation, pulling out key details like:

    • pain points and

    • specific needs.

  2. The information is then automatically logged in your CRM.

  3. A personalized outreach email is drafted based on the lead's preferences and behavior.

  4. Your sales team in Slack receives a notification.

Finally the right team member can trigger the outreach.

Quite compelling AI automation, and beautiful at the same time. Right?

Looking at these real-world applications, I realized something important about AI automation engineering. The real value —and difficulty— lies not so much in how to automate, but in what you choose to automate with AI.

You add value not just by building AI automation solutions, but because you know which parts of a business process can and should be automated with AI.

I used to think automation just meant using technology to handle repetitive tasks instead of people. But it's more than that. I looked up the definition of "automation," and found this (according to Perplexity):

Automation is the use of technology to perform tasks with minimal or no human intervention, typically by making processes, systems, or apparatuses operate automatically. Automation is achieved using a range of technologies—including software, robotics, machines, and control systems—to monitor, control, and execute activities faster, more efficiently, and with fewer errors than manual processes.

To make it easier for myself, I'll define it simply as:

Automation is removing human intervention from systems.

Another point I hadn't considered before: automation is especially valuable for tasks prone to human error. Think of:

  • Data entry

  • Invoice processing and payment

  • Scheduling and calendar management

  • Email sorting and responses

  • Data backup

  • etc.

I'll definitely keep this in mind.

Thanks to Elena for these insightful articles.

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