05-28-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

How automation has evolved at 24 companies

Make time for human judgment and higher-level processes by automating the repeatable.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

BY Fast Company Impact Council

Automation and AI aren’t synonymous, but there is a relationship. As AI capabilities have improved, more companies are using it to automate parts of the business that previously were human-touch only. Deciding what to automate and how to use technology for the greatest impact, is something our Fast Company Impact Council members think about daily. Here’s what 24 members said about how they incorporate automation, and how that has changed over time.

1. SCALE CONSISTENCY AND FAIRNESS

Automation and AI are most valuable when they reclaim time for high-impact, human-centered work. In mission-driven organizations like ours, core functions—relationship-building, equity-centered design, and complex judgment—cannot be automated. Instead, we apply AI to scale consistency and fairness. For example, funders spend an average of four minutes reviewing a grant application. We built an AI-powered review tool to standardize evaluations and reduce bias, while keeping humans accountable for final decisions. Effectiveness, then efficiency. — Hala Hanna, MIT Solve

2. REPORTING TOOL TURNED INTO A PRODUCT

Automation plays a large and growing role in our operations. We were not always thinking this way. After AI emerged, we took a hard look at our biggest pain points, especially reporting, which took around 25% of our time. We built internal tools to streamline and improve it. Now we can quickly surface the insights that clients care about, improve the relation to ROI, and free up the team to focus on strategic and creative work. That system has evolved into a product we now offer other teams. — Kalie Moore, High Vibe PR

3. AVOID ENGINEERING SPRINT

Two years ago, automation in our studio meant faster handoffs. Today, our designers build working front-end prototypes in an afternoon using Claude Code, no engineering sprint required. That same shift is happening across every creative discipline we touch. The only standard we hold: Can the output meet the same bar of craft as something made by hand? When it can, wedwinadopt immediately. The tools are moving fast enough that the answer changes month to month. — Peter Smart, Fantasy

4. AI CREATION OF MANUALS AND PROCEDURES

Automation and AI are so closely related that the question really is “How has AI impacted your operations?” The answer is: huge! Whether it’s manuals for processes or standard operation procedures, all can be created or adapted within minutes. These are tasks that previously took days or weeks. Strategic judgment is still human and that is where the focus of senior management has to be. — Larraine Segil, Exceptional Women Alliance Foundation

5. ALIGN AUTOMATION TO OPERATIONAL GOALS

Automation plays a bigger role every year, evolving from task efficiency to decision support that helps teams operate with more........

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