When people think about automation, the focus is almost always on what it takes away. They see it as machines taking over tasks, making jobs disappear. But there’s another side to the story that’s just starting to get attention. It’s what I call reverse automation. While the phrase has been used in logistics to describe automating returns, in this context it means how technology creates new human-centered work where machines fall short.
As AI and technology continue to change industries, they are creating a new wave of human-centered jobs that only exist because machines can’t finish the work on their own. These are jobs that require touch, trust, judgment, curiosity, and creativity, which are the things that technology can’t duplicate. Every smart machine still needs someone to oversee, interpret, or troubleshoot it. Even in advanced industries, there’s growing demand for skilled individuals who handle what AI cannot. This shift toward reverse automation shows that humans can become even more valuable.
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