Automation is an investment. It often involves taking different applications and integrating them to make processes happen repeatedly, hopefully seamlessly and effortlessly. Process automation can increase productivity by reducing the time taken to perform repetitive tasks, as well as reduce defects, which also saves time and enhances the value-creation process.
Furthermore, automated systems do not get bored. It's likely that anyone who has to undertake a repetitive task over and over again will get bored. This will slow down their performance and increase the risk of defects. An automated process will not get bored, no matter how often it is run, so performance is not likely to be slowed down.
Scientists can leverage automation to reduce cycle time through scientific methods, which in turn increases learning rates, often exponentially. In my opinion...