Automation means making machines or computers do work that people used to do themselves. When a factory uses robots to assemble cars instead of workers bolting parts together by hand, that's automation. When your email program automatically sorts messages into folders without you clicking anything, that's automation too.

Automation has transformed how we live and work. A hundred years ago, elevator operators stood in elevators all day, pushing buttons for passengers. Now elevators run automatically. Farmers once harvested wheat by hand with scythes; today, combine harvesters do the work of dozens of people. Even your home has automation: thermostats that adjust the temperature, dishwashers that clean your dishes, and washing machines that handle your laundry.

Automation often makes life easier and safer. It handles boring, repetitive tasks so people can focus on work that requires creativity and judgment. A factory robot never gets tired of tightening the same bolt thousands of times, and an automated spell-checker catches typos faster than any human proofreader.

The challenge with automation is that when machines take over certain jobs, people who did those jobs need to learn new skills and find different work. Throughout history, automation has created new kinds of jobs even as it eliminated old ones, though the transition isn't always easy for everyone involved.