Across industries, institutions are racing to stay relevant in a world that rewards speed, accuracy, and adaptability. But keeping up with automation and networking trends isn’t as simple as adopting new tools.
According to J. Nathan Matias, leader of the Citizens and Technology Lab at Cornell University, he made an interesting prediction. He believes that by 2035, society will not be asking whether humans are in control, but more specifically, which humans are in control. This prediction is clearly made in the context of our world increasingly adopting AI and automated digital systems.
In such a world, it’s easy to get left behind, which is why the biggest question that institutions should be asking is the following. “Are we keeping up?” In this article, let’s explore a few different angles when it comes to incorporating automation and the implications that come with these decisions.
Accepting the Reality that Automation is Everywhere Today
Technology’s quiet takeover of institutional life is already well underway. From schools digitizing attendance to hospitals using AI for patient triage, automation is steadily becoming the invisible structure behind how large organizations operate. Yet, this transition isn’t limited to the private sector or Silicon Valley experiments.
The reality is that automation and the latest features aren’t just being used by tech startups. Today, even sluggish public sector institutions like prisons and jails are getting their act together. Many of them have started using an inmate tracking system in conjunction with AI, with great results.
As JailCore explains, these systems are being developed with professional input and drastically reduce the potential for human error. Likewise, according to the U.K. government, the AI technology will analyze age and past violent incidents to assess threat levels on one front. On a second front, it would scan seized mobile phones and automatically flag gang activity or plans related to violence or smuggling.
Thus, if you thought that it’s still possible to compete as an institution (public or private) without automation, it’s highly doubtful. It’s revolutionized almost every field, and incorporating it is almost a requirement today. This isn’t easy, and it’s wise to think of how automation actually affects people as well.
Start Tracking the Human Impact of Automation
Automation becomes truly valuable when outcomes are measurable. Right now, it enables institutions to improve four key metrics: service latency, incident reduction rate, number of security incidents, and overall staff confidence.
That said, automation and new tech will change things drastically, and not always for the better. As the World Economic Forum predicts, 23% of all jobs are going to see change or disruption within the next two years. They predict 69 million new jobs but also an elimination of 83 million roles.
Leaders need to treat automation as a living system that interacts with people, not as a plug-and-play solution. This means that you track the human side of adoption so that you soften the shock on employees that often follows rapid change. Technology is moving fast, but the institutions that pause to measure and adjust will be the ones that stay both efficient and humane.
Ensure your Automation Systems are Resilient but can also Evolve
Once automation is in place, the real challenge becomes keeping it relevant. Most institutions fail here, not because their technology breaks, but because their systems stop learning. Future-ready networks and automation setups need to evolve in three dimensions: adaptability, interoperability, and governance.
When it comes to adaptability, you have to constantly be using systems that can integrate new data sources or processes without massive rewrites. With interoperability, you’re trying to ensure that different automation tools can communicate effectively with each other.
Likewise, when it comes to governance, you need to know who’s accountable when things go wrong and how decisions are actually made when automation produces unexpected results.
This is important, especially because the more tech you bring into an institution, the more open and vulnerable you are to cyber attacks. This is a far bigger threat to institutions than many realize.
According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, there were over 859,532 cybercrime complaints in 2024. These attacks included phishing, extortion, and data breaches, amounting to losses of over $16 billion. This shows how fragile unmaintained systems can become. The only way to counter this is with regular audits, flexible APIs, and staff retraining cycles as part of the same roadmap as the technology itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the 4 types of automation?
The four main types of automation are fixed, programmable, flexible, and integrated. Fixed automation handles repetitive tasks with little variation, while programmable and flexible automation adapts to changes. Integrated automation ties multiple systems together, creating seamless communication between machines, software, and humans.
2. What is the best example of automation?
A great example of automation is how hospitals use AI-driven systems for patient monitoring. These systems track vitals in real time, alert staff to anomalies, and even predict potential emergencies—saving time, improving care, and reducing human error all at once.
3. What is the biggest benefit of automation?
The biggest advantage is consistency. Automation doesn’t get tired, distracted, or forgetful. It keeps processes running smoothly and accurately every single time, freeing up humans to focus on more complex decisions that require creativity and emotional intelligence.
Ultimately, modern institutions live or die by how they connect information, people, and infrastructure. Automation and networking can either streamline decision-making or create new layers of confusion, depending on how they’re managed. It’s safe to say that progress now depends on cultivating smarter integration of new developments in tech.
Institutions that understand this reality will find themselves not just keeping up with change but also setting the pace for others to follow.
Mila Rowe
Mila Rowe is a technology writer passionate about digital transformation, AI, and enterprise innovation. She simplifies complex ideas into actionable insights for modern businesses.