You're paying for effective token usage. You've simplified "automation" to mean "perfect automation". That's not going to happen for a long time, and likely never.
However, automation may likely become good enough that an SME can build the initial system to bootstrap the business. Not scale the business, but enough to prove that it's viable.
However, automation may likely become good enough that an SME can build the initial system to bootstrap the business. Not scale the business, but enough to prove that it's viable.