Why Companies That Choose AI Augmentation Over Automation May Win in the Long Run

De Neve's argument for augmentation over automation revisits Coase's firm theory through an AI lens: the choice between replacing human judgment versus amplifying it becomes a new frontier in organizational design. HBR suggests practitioner-focused insights rather than pure theory, but the augmentation framework offers product directors a strategic lens for AI implementation decisions. The timing matters — 2026 places this in the middle of the current AI transformation, when companies are making foundational choices about human-AI collaboration. For product direction this connects technical AI capabilities to organizational outcomes: the question isn't what AI can do, but how integrating AI changes the nature of work, coordination, and competitive advantage.