---
id: "question-routing-tasks-ai-vs-humans"
type: "open-question"
source_timestamps: ["§ A Credible Commitment"]
tags: ["workflow-design", "task-allocation"]
related: ["action-codevelop-ai-tools", "concept-pilots-vs-passengers"]
resolutionPath: "Create a taxonomy of tasks based on the need for human judgment, empathy, and nonlinear thinking versus repetitive data processing, and map AI tools accordingly."
sources: ["spine"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-spine"
originDay: 1
articleStem: "hbr-ext-19-augmentation-over-automation"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/04/why-companies-that-choose-ai-augmentation-over-automation-may-win-in-the-long-run"
sourceTitle: "Why Companies That Choose AI Augmentation Over Automation May Win in the Long Run"
---
# Which Specific Tasks Should Be Routed to AI vs. Humans?

**Open question.** The article states that employees perceive a company's commitment to augmentation in **"everyday workflow decisions, such as which tasks get routed to AI as opposed to humans"** — but it provides **no granular framework** for making those routing decisions.

**Proposed resolution path.** Create a **task taxonomy** distinguishing work that needs human judgment, empathy, and nonlinear thinking (cf. [[quote-kaufman-human-capabilities|Kaufman on human capabilities]]) from repetitive data processing, and map AI tools accordingly. Because these decisions are also a **trust signal**, they should be made *with* employees via [[action-codevelop-ai-tools|co-development]] to cultivate [[concept-pilots-vs-passengers|pilots]].