> 8. Find entirely new ways of doing any of the above more efficiently or effectively. This is "research" or "invention."

I think automation fits squarely into #8.

I agree, but would add the importance of #3. You can't transform/manufacture things without some process for doing so (or doing so more efficiently or effectively than was previously possible), and the physical means to this itself needs to be created/manufactured. It's 'tooling' and there's a kind of chicken-egg thing going on. Also related to the distinction between algorithms in the abstract sense and the infrastructure (software or otherwise) that enables their implementation.

Yup, good point.

I think automation could probably be considered a subset of each item. Automation is a process not really a product. At least in this context the fundamental unit of wealth is the value to people. Automation per se doesn’t really have value to people, it’s the fruits of that automation that has value. If use a robot which uses automation to make a car, then the car is the thing that has the ‘created’ value.

If I write an automation program for some computer task like sending people information that they want, then it’s really the info that drives the wealth creation in this context. The Automation is just a means to an end, not the goal by itself.

Having said all that, I think Automation is absolutely the main driving factor in the massive acceleration in the amount of wealth being created. What will be really interesting is if we ever get to a point where whole industry verticals are entirely automated. If there is no human input or labour involved in mining, manufacturing and distribution of a product, especially if that product is only used by other autonomous system; what value can we as humans place on that item? Does it add value in any tangible way?

> If there is no human input or labour involved in mining, manufacturing and distribution of a product, especially if that product is only used by other autonomous system

Creation, energy and maintenance of machines are not free. People who provide this things to site need money too, so it adds to price of mined items. Then moving and transforming/smelting those things costs too. Watch springs are several orders of magnitude more valuable per kg than raw mined iron.

I think Google does make money via 9a based on who pays for it. Consumers don't pay for the information. Advertisers do pay for matching their ads to likely buyers.