How can I automate work responsibly without hurting workers?

You have already decided the hard part: that the people affected by your work are your responsibility, not someone else's problem. Hold on to that. Most never get there. Owning the cost does not mean carrying shame. It means staying close to the truth of what your work does and answering for it plainly. When a job changes or disappears, you do not hide behind progress. You look at it, name it, and ask what you owe. A good next step is to build the human question into your process, not just your conscience. Before a rollout, write down who is affected and what would help them. Make it part of the plan, not an afterthought. That is how good intentions become real.