Under what circumstance will human beings be preferred to a computer?

There are many instances when a human being is preferred to a computer, but the most significant two I can think of are as follows:

1. Roles requiring emotional engagement - A prime example of this is a therapist.  It's pretty unlikely that anyone would want to discuss their worries and problems with a computer.  A human being is preferred because he/she can understand on an emotional level what the other person is going through.
2. Individualism - Looking back at our car manufacturer example, there are also instances when a human being's workmanship is preferred to that of a computer.  Sometimes we want to buy a vehicle that is different to 1000's of others on the road, and as we look at higher valued cars, it's clear to see that many people prefer the work of a talented human to the methodical approach of a computer.

Are computers ever favoured over humans?

To put it simply, yes. And there is a growing fear among quite a lot of people that the jobs we do will be increasingly handled by machines and computers.

Computers are a great asset to humans because they can perform tasks with precision, and never get tired.  They do, of course, break down from time to time, but can be easily fixed.

There are instances when computers seem to be the preferred option for a role over human counterparts.  Think of a car manufacturer, for example.  Computers control mechanisms that create vehicles on a conveyor belt.  There is no risk of human error, slacking on the job, or getting tired.

Computers are rubbish at hugs and smalltalk. There is more personality in a human.