To coincide with Robohub’s Jobs Focus, we asked our panelists to weigh in on the role that robots play in the wider economy, and whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for employment numbers. Here’s what they have to say:
These days it is hard to read an article about the future of robots that does not include a reference to jobs. As a pure roboticist, I object to the constant connection between the two, but as a concerned citizen I think it is a worthwhile discussion …
Raffaello D’Andrea on “Do robots kill jobs?”
There is no doubt that robots, and automation in general, replace humans in the work-force: all productivity-enhancing tools, by definition, result in a decrease in the number of man-hours required to perform a given task …
Mark Tilden on “Do robots kill jobs?”
Robots do kill jobs but they’re crappy jobs, so good riddance. If you’ve ever had a job you were desperate for the money, but immediately regretted after you got it, then you know what I mean. …
We hope you will join the discussion. Feel free to post your comment below.
Robots do kill jobs but they’re crappy jobs, so good riddance. If you’ve ever had a job you were desperate for the money, but immediately regretted after you got it, then you know what I mean.
This Robotics By Invitation contribution is part of Robohub’s Jobs Focus.
The anxiety occurs when robots have anthropomorphic similarities that people wrongly associate with human ambition. When a (semi) humanoid takes away the whole menial job that used to be done by a person, there’s an instinctive focus to blame the machine, not the corporation optimizing its bottom line. Optimizing tasks to reduce costs is a good thing. It’s just a shame we haven’t kept up with the social reforms needed so people who had those jobs before could find better jobs now.
So the short answer is robot-brained corporations kill jobs. Robots are just the anthropomorphic patsies that get blamed.
Still, now I have to go and stare worriedly at my toaster.
Read more answers →
See all the posts in Robohub’s Jobs Focus →
January 18, 2021
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