automation

Also known as automatic control, auto

thumb|upright=1.1|Minimum human intervention is required to control many large facilities, such as this electrical generating station.

AI overview

Automation is the use of machines and systems designed to operate with minimal human involvement, allowing facilities like power plants to function with very few workers controlling them. It matters because it can make industrial operations more efficient and require fewer people to manage large, complex infrastructure.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Research

327,415 papers

Artificial Intelligence Automation of Echocardiographic Measurements.Journal of the American College of Cardiology · 2025Sahashi Y, Ieki H, Yuan V et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.07.053
Identifying Opportunities for Workflow Automation in Health Care: Lessons Learned from Other Industries.ReviewApplied clinical informatics · 2021Zayas-Cabán T, Haque SN, Kemper NDOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731744
Potential for Standardization and Automation for Pathology and Endoscopy in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.ReviewInflammatory bowel diseases · 2020Syed S, Stidham RWDOI: 10.1093/ibd/izaa211
Diagnostic accuracy of automation and non-automation techniques for identifying Burkholderia pseudomallei: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of infection and public health · 2024Songsri J, Chatatikun M, Wisessombat S et al.DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2024.04.022
Automation of QIIME2 Metagenomic Analysis Platform.Current protocols · 2021Fung C, Rusling M, Lampeter T et al.DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.254
AI-Based Automation for Medication Reconciliation: Scoping Review.ReviewJournal of medical Internet research · 2026Tabja Bortesi JP, Becerra MP, Ranisau J et al.DOI: 10.2196/86760
Nonanalytic Laboratory Automation: A Quarter Century of Progress.ReviewClinical chemistry · 2017Hawker CDDOI: 10.1373/clinchem.2017.272047
Automation of parenteral nutrition: impact on process and cost analysis.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2024Perrier Q, Hosni A, Leenhardt J et al.DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2022-003602

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Commons category: Automation
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~57 min read

Article

47 sections

Contents

History
Early history
Industrial Revolution in Western Europe
20th century
Significant applications
Space/computer age
Advantages, disadvantages, and limitations
Paradox of automation
Limitations
Current limitations
Societal impact and unemployment
Lights-out manufacturing
Health and environment
Convertibility and turnaround time
Automation tools
Cognitive automation
Recent and emerging applications
CAD AI
Automated power production
Agricultural production
Retail
Food and drink
Construction
Mining
Video surveillance
Highway systems
Waste management
Business process
Home
Laboratory
Logistics automation
Industrial automation
Industrial Automation and Industry 4.0
Industrial robotics
Programmable Logic Controllers
Agent-assisted automation
Control
Open-loop and closed-loop
Discrete control (on/off)
PID controller
Sequential control and logical sequence or system state control
Computer control
See also
References
Citations
Sources
Further reading

thumb|upright=1.1|Minimum human intervention is required to control many large facilities, such as this electrical generating station.

Automation describes a wide range of technologies that reduce human intervention in processes, mainly by predetermining decision criteria, subprocess relationships, and related actions, as well as embodying those predeterminations in machines. Automation has been achieved by various means including mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, electronic devices, and computers, usually in combination. Complicated systems, such as modern factories, airplanes, and ships typically use combinations of all of these techniques. The benefits of automation includes labor savings, reducing waste, savings in electricity costs, savings in material costs, and improvements to quality, accuracy, and precision.