  Large area surveys will dominate the forthcoming decades of astronomy and
their success requires characterizing thousands of discoveries through
additional observations at higher spatial or spectral resolution, and at
complementary cadences or periods. Only the full automation of adaptive optics
systems will enable high-acuity, high-sensitivity follow-up observations of
several tens of thousands of these objects per year, maximizing on-sky time.
Automation will also enable rapid response to target-of-opportunity events
within minutes, minimizing the time between discovery and characterization.
  In June 2012, we demonstrated the first fully automated operation of an
astronomical adaptive optics system by observing 125 objects in succession with
the Robo-AO system. Efficiency has increased ever since, with a typical night
comprising 200-250 automated observations at the visible diffraction limit. By
observing tens of thousands of targets in the largest-ever adaptive-optics
surveys, Robo-AO has demonstrated the ability to address the follow-up needs of
current and future large astronomical surveys.
