Automation has contributed to sharply increased productivity in virtually all industrial processes, first in developed countries, but now in places with low labor costs as well. What has industrial automation brought society, and where is it going? This talk reviews past expectations of automation, what has flourished and what has fizzled, and what was totally unexpected. Thoughts on the future are offered, amid the backdrop of pervasive computing and communication resources, a rapidly increasing middle class, the skills gap for advanced manufacturing, a heightened interest in sustainability, and the sharing economy.