Does automation empower? An analysis using Arendt’s conception of work

Automation frees workers from drudgery and empowers them to engage in higher value work. This is the received wisdom around the impact of automating work. In this essay, we argue that with the emergence of cognitive automation this narrative warrants scrutiny. Drawing on Hannah Arendt's conceptions of labour, work and action, we argue that automation in knowledge work often disempowers workers. With case vignettes, we illustrate how cognitive automation can lead to the creation of more tedious labour, fracturing of work, and curtailing of action and speech. The analysis reveals that, paradoxically, automation's promise to empower workers is undermined by the very ideology driving its implementation. For automation to truly support good work, we must rethink its design through Arendtian 'forgiveness and promise', balancing machine and human contributions. Our analysis reveals automation's complex ramifications for worker empowerment and identity, highlighting the need for a thoughtful, human-centric approach to work automation.