Leading firms are advancing automation at breakneck speed and will reap the benefits, but the acceleration is not without collateral effects. Existing process improvement platforms will converge and be challenged by new AI-led entrants. Automation investment will have to expand in new and innovative ways to address global worker shortages. To manage the more sophisticated automation landscape, internal automation teams must undergo changes in structure and strategic focus and for the first time be sensitive to the psychological impact of automation on employees.