AI coworker vs Zapier: when to use which

Zapier-style automation and AI coworkers get lumped together. They shouldn't be.

Use rule-based automation when

• The trigger and action are fixed ("when a form is submitted, add a row").
• The logic never needs judgment.
• You want it to run millions of times, identically, forever.

Use an AI coworker when

• The task needs judgment ("triage this inbox", "draft outreach for the top 10 leads").
• The steps aren't fully knowable in advance.
• The work shifts week to week and you don't want to maintain a flowchart.

They're complementary

Deterministic automation for the plumbing; an AI coworker for the fiddly, judgment-heavy work that breaks rigid tools the moment reality changes. Most teams end up using both — for different jobs.