On one hand, from a self-reliance point of view, I view some of the automated tools people are using a bit askance. Not because they’re saving effort, but more because not knowing how something is done might prevent them from realizing the automated tool isn’t performing correctly.

And yet, much depends on the task itself. They made us learn how to calculate logarithms through tables in school, but I confess I’ve not needed that skill ever–even for a machine to do it. I don’t think my inability to use a slide rule has disadvantaged me.

And for that matter, some tasks are ripe for automation. The junior associate for a law firm used to get stuck with in a paper document closet for weeks (or months) at a time doing document review for discovery. It was considered a rite of passage, but nobody looks back at doing it with the idea of persisting, unless they’ve a hazing mindset. Now, somebody can either scan the old documents for automated review or just use an agent to review entire swaths of digital documents without sacrificing their summer and/or sanity. I don’t think that’s a terrible thing.

Maybe I’m just saying that automation can help with some admittedly shitty tasks, ones that folks aren’t clamoring to do. It’s not all losing jobs that people want to keep doing. What we may be seeing is that the written essay, long a staple of written tests, is on the wane as an effective knowledge measure. It might be time to find something new.