Many people embrace automation. They welcome advancing technology with open arms as a way to increase efficiency and perform tasks that could not have been done before. However, many others wonder how this technology will affect the workforce. If robots can do things better, faster, and smarter, where do humans fit in? A paper by Daron Acemoglu of M.I.T. and Pascual Restrepo of Boston University attempted to determine the negative, direct effects of robots. While it had been previously thought that increased automated technology would create new jobs, so those displaced by the automation could still work in their field, Acemoglu and Restrepo determined that there would be very little employment increase to offset the job losses (Miller). "The conclusion is that even if overall employment and wages recover, there will be losers in the process, and it's going to take a very long time for these communities to recover," said Acemoglu. Between 1990 and 2007, 670,000 people lost manufacturing jobs due to industrial robots--and robots are expected to quadruple. As automation is on the rise, Americans fear that the market economy will not be able to create enough jobs to support all those who have lost them.
Interestingly enough, there are areas of the world that embrace automation--Sweden is one of them. While 72% of Americans are found to be "worried" about a future that included robots and computers in the job force, 80% of Swedes express positive views about robots and artificial intelligence (Sundahl-Djerf). This is most likely due to the fact that Sweden already has a safety net in place to help its workers. As the Swedish minister for employment and integration, Ylva Johansson, says, "We won't protect jobs. But we will protect workers." In the United States, where many people depend on employers for health insurance, job losses can be detrimental to the family. Whereas in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, governments provide free health care--one less thing to worry about. Additionally, job security councils that are financed by employers help those who lost jobs find new jobs; 83% of participants in the TRR Trygghetsradet have found new jobs this year. Sweden's major industry, mining, is becoming increasingly more automated since the only to ensure profit is to increase efficiency. Their industry is moving forward with self-driving trucks, loaders controlled by joysticks, wireless internet, and tablet computers. Fredrik Hases, the head of the union chapter representing technicians says, "No one feels like they are taking jobs away. It's about doing more with the people we've got."
Miller, Claire Cain. "Evidence That Robots are Winning the Race for American Jobs." Evernote. 28 Mar. 2017. https://www.evernote.com/shard/s3/nl/125986/f4764655-3cb4-43e6-a0f1-0776f7dc9e02?title=Evidence%20That%20Robots%20Are%20Winning%20the%20Race%20for%20American%20Jobs
Sundahl-Djerf, Linus. "The Robots are Coming, and Sweden is Fine." Evernote. 27 Dec. 2017. https://www.evernote.com/shard/s3/nl/125986/5decd471-bf33-447d-9a07-9e595c489f58?title=The%20Robots%20Are%20Coming%2C%20and%20Sweden%20Is%20Fine
Responses to Blog Posts:
Amanda,
As your article about AI mentioned, 375 million people would loose jobs by 2030 due to the rise in AI. My articles were also about automation's effects on the workforce, and I think that it is something that should definitely be considered. The robot tax is interesting because it kind of hinders innovation. I understand its purpose but how is a country or industry supposed to grow and compete without increasing efficiency and doing things faster and better? At the end you mentioned that proper changes in training are important, and I think that is definitely key. If you provide training or other ways for employees to potentially get a new job before there's is taken over by robots, it would most likely slow the rise of unemployment.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/ai-httpswww.html
Michael,
I really appreciate your take on this. I think it is absolutely absurd that replacing human interaction with automation in teaching is even a possibility. There are so many books, studies, and reports that show that social interactions are key to students' success. I think that a lot of people are a little too concerned about productivity and efficiency and they forget the fact that people are in fact, human beings. I found your comment about frequent social interactions for children are important in forming self-esteem, responsibility, and humor really interesting--I did not know that all of these traits come out of basic human interaction.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/michael-manley-b1.html
Andrew,
I really liked the article about tech and farming. I never knew that automation had a place in the farming industry. It definitely makes sense from an optimization standpoint. Even though I would assume that you wouldn't be able to replace human farmers, I wonder if self-driving machinery could be created that would remove the need for farmers in the field entirely.
https://ae-410-510-ay19-20.blogspot.com/2020/01/b1-robotics-ai-3d-printing-future.html
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