> You can't estimate non-trivial software, and if you are doing trivial predictable work, you should be automating it, not endlessly estimating it.
so if you automate trivial predictable work (for example by making a CRUD app generator), you're moving to non-trivial software territory with costs unknown (as you said, you can't estimate), potentially very high
Or you don't and end up making a non-functional website for the public sector for $100M. Software projects fail often, and not for the lack of trying, there is not yet any evidence that you can micromanage them into succeeding.
so if you automate trivial predictable work (for example by making a CRUD app generator), you're moving to non-trivial software territory with costs unknown (as you said, you can't estimate), potentially very high