Automation
1 min read · Reviewed 17 Oct 2026
In short
Getting software to do a repeatable task without a person each time.
In plain English
Handing a repeatable task to software. Traditional automation follows fixed rules; AI automation can handle inputs that vary, which is what makes it newly useful.
A real example
An email autoresponder is traditional automation — same message every time. An AI that reads each enquiry and drafts a fitting reply is AI automation.
Why it matters
The distinction matters when choosing. If your task genuinely is the same every time, rules-based automation is cheaper, faster and more reliable than involving a model.
