Yeah I wouldn't call MCAS automation, and that was 99.9% not on the pilots (that 0.01% was because for good or bad Boeing did have a stab trim runway procedure in place - but even then that barely was enough for the trainwreck that MCAS was)
It's like adding a device making a steering wheel harder to turn because people are used to that (with more details, of course, but that's the general idea)
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes
Ask Boeing how that "cost saving" went