Automation needs to be considered holistically as part of the customer and buyer journey. This is where marketing, sales and customer services teams knowledge and experience of your current customers can inform your automation strategy.
There are times for personal contact and times when you can automate such as manual repetitive experiences. For example, customers may want a quick confirmation / response for a event booking but other times they'd rather wait and receive a personal response. For high value, high consideration purchases, especially for those prospects that are further along the journey this balance may change.
Of course, automation can also be helpful for internal notifications and processes, for example if a prospect has opened an email or a new lead meets your Ideal Customer Profile. That doesn't mean you can take a 'set and forget' approach, content and stats should be reviewed on a regular basis.
The attached PDF will offer some guidance for where you should start with your automation strategy and help communicate the benefits.