I like the idea that a human society, burned once by artificial hyperintelligence, would start valuing uniquely human emotional traits, ditching efficiency measures entirely, and inserting human gatekeepers into machine processes. It is especially ironic that those gatekeepers would be chosen for their empathy, but required to perform repetitive mechanical tasks. I do like the suggestion that the machines might have learned some humanity from their keeper, but you never can tell when a closed mind is playing a long con. What bothered me most, I think, is that efficiency KPIs are not only still a thing, but still a very primary thing for this manager and this department. It does feel like a focus on efficiency at any level of management should be a Big Red Flag.
Finally, I'd just like to note that Liv laments that management would want her to automate without their knowledge, for full deniability, and then technically she does just that. Yes, she had some reason to believe that her machines had learned some humanity from her, and were probably not going to Skynet out, but she cannot be certain of that. She's taking a trust fall into AI's arms. I hope her trust continues to be rewarded.
Mokalus of Borg
PS - This might be the first time I've used the name "Skynet" as a verb.
PPS - I also wanted to contrast this story with the Butlerian Jihad of Dune.