I think too much automation is what has destroyed marketing. Taking the human factor out of it has destroyed its credibility. That being said, a way to automate peoples desires with product matching.
Well the idea about automation is to free yourself from all the menial tasks, allowing you to focus on engaging with your subscribers and providing them with value.
The power of automation is underestimated! Automation is a goldmine! However, many people are not that creative enough to use automation in a fancy, nice and pleasant manner. If the user get upset or annoyed, then the sender has failed. Many senders use automation because it's good for them, the sender. But if you use automation to please the receiver, then automation will never fail!
The next step is to move on from the focus on productivity to adding value to your target groups. "How can this process be automated such that it delivers value and a better experience for my visitors/subscribers?" Use automation to contextualize - that's powerful.