Automatable

A task performed by Desktop Publishers

Enter text into computer keyboard and select the size and style of type, column width, and appropriate spacing for printed materials.

R&D OpportunityWorkers want it · AI can't yet

Not yet. Workers want this automated (3.57/5), but experts rate today's AI capability at only 3/5, the technology isn't there. It's an R&D Opportunity.

Worker desire to automate3.6/5

How much the people who do this task want AI to take it over (avg of 7 workers).

AI capability today3.0/5

How capable experts rate current AI at this task (avg of 3 experts).

How much human involvement should stay?

The Human Agency Scale (H1–H5) captures how much human direction workers think this task should keep.

H3Equal human–AI partnership

Why workers want this automated

  • It's repetitive43%
  • Frees up time for higher-value work29%
  • Helps handle larger scale29%
  • Reduces human error14%
  • It's difficult14%

How to automate this

Workers want this gone, but today's tools only get part of the way. Automate the edges.

Repetitive computer work

Record the steps once, then replay them.

  1. 1Use built-in shortcuts, text expanders, and macros for repeated steps.
  2. 2Automate multi-app workflows with no-code (Power Automate, Zapier, Make).
  3. 3For browser routines, use a record-and-replay tool.

Tools that can help

Power Automate / ZapierText expanderBrowse AI

Know a better way, or spot an error?

Share how you automate this in real life, or correct the data. Reviewed before publishing.

This is 1 of 12 tasks studied for Desktop Publishers, where workers want 50% of tasks automated.

Other R&D Opportunity tasks