The Convergence of Automation and Existence

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 01:00:00 +0700

Last year was a turning point for me. I wrote in #Perjalanan 2025: Harapan and Cinta that I felt lost. In a short period, I navigated the dynamics of three companies: Mekari, Ruangguru, and Paper.id. However, life finds its own way to recover.

Now, I work as a Digital Marketing Specialist at Smart Salary. The trust of my supervisor, Mark, and the support of my colleagues are fuel that makes me confident again. With a “weapon” MacBook Air M1 2020 8GB from the company, I try to prove that work can be lost, but skills and perseverance remain.

The Harmony of Humans and Machines

In my new position, I explore the potential of Lark for automation — from connecting website leads to group chats and WhatsApp blasts and email marketing. In the midst of pressure and minimal resources, AI becomes a lifesaver that lets me move faster.

However, during my #study sessions, I come across a double-edged reflection:

Optimism: AI frees me from repetitive and boring tasks, opening the door for high-level creativity.

Concern: Is this dependence exactly making human roles redundant in the eyes of employers in the future?

Lessons from “A Costly Investment”

My curiosity about technology pushed me to explore AI tools and configurations more deeply. I invested hours experimenting — and yes, quite a bit of money on API tokens. But that’s the thing about research: it’s not just time you spend, it’s also the costs that accumulate from testing, querying, and training models.

It’s a valuable lesson: deep research requires both time and budget. Every query, every token adds up. But these aren’t really mistakes — they’re tuition fees for learning.

Moving On to the Next Step

Although there’s a lingering feeling of trauma that last year’s failure will repeat, the support of my Smart Salary team makes me realize that we’ve never truly known what’s waiting ahead. As Jack Ma says:

“Today is difficult. Tomorrow is much more difficult. But the day after tomorrow is beautiful.”

AI might be a threat to those who stop learning, but for those who struggle, it’s a partner to create harmony between humans and machines. Stay encouraged for colleagues who are going through layoff. Our journey is not over.

Agung Sukariman | Digital Marketer & Tech Tinkerer

The Convergence of Automation and Existence

The Harmony of Humans and Machines

Lessons from “A Costly Investment”

Moving On to the Next Step