It already happened to all kinds of jobs. I recall the mine water pump had a boy run up and down a ladder opening and closing steam valves to make the piston g

It already happened to all kinds of jobs. I recall the mine water pump had a boy run up and down a ladder opening and closing steam valves to make the piston go up and down. The boy eventually rigged up a stick to use the motion of the piston to automatically open and close the valves. Then he went to sleep while the stick did his job. Hence the invention of the steam engine.