The Economics of Automation: Why Simple Tasks Shouldn't Be Automated

The author attempted to automate a repetitive code review task using Claude through GitHub Actions, only to discover that the setup costs and development time exceeded the burden of performing the work manually. This case study reveals an overlooked truth in engineering: not every workflow benefits from automation, and understanding the true cost of implementation is crucial for making sound technology decisions. It's a reminder that efficiency gains must account for hidden costs, not just execution time.