Human-in-the-loop vs full automation: what's the difference?
Answer:
HITL inserts human checkpoints for risky decisions; full automation runs end-to-end without review.
The full story
Most real systems are not purely manual or purely autonomous—they sit on a spectrum.
Practical guidelines
- HITL: humans approve at checkpoints.
- Automation: the system executes end-to-end.
- Hybrid: automate low-risk, gate high-risk.
A good rule: start conservative, measure outcomes, then expand autonomy where the data supports it.