Tag: conservative

Will robots and AI take your job? The economic and political consequences of automation

Will robots and AI take your job? The economic and political consequences of automation

In Edward Bellamy’s classic Looking Backward , the protagonist Julian West wakes up from a 113-year slumber and finds the United States in 2000 has changed dramatically from 1887. People stop working at age forty-five and devote their lives to mentoring other people and engaging in volunteer work that benefits the overall community. There are short work weeks for employees, and everyone receives full benefits, food, and housing. [1] The reason is that new technologies of the period have enabled people to be very productive while working part-time. Businesses do not need large numbers of employees, so individuals can […]

Where is Artificial Intelligence taking us?

Where is Artificial Intelligence taking us?

Recently, The Spectator , in association with NatWest, brought together leading entrepreneurs, MPs and technology writers to discuss where Artificial Intelligence (AI) – or the fourth industrial revolution as it is often termed – is taking us. Guests included: Simon McNamara , group CAO of NatWest, Damian Collins MP, Tugce Bulut, CEO of Streetbees, Nathan Gralton, MD of Scopesuite, Rob O’Donovan, CEO of Charlie HR, Jesse Lozano, CEO of Pi-Top, Charles Arthur, former tech editor for The Guardian and Independent , Alan Mak MP, Sarah Drinkwater, head of Campus London for Google, Rory Cellen-Jones, BBC technology correspondent, Kevin Hanley, […]

Fact check: Trump’s claim that China caused 60,000 US factories to close

"We’ve lost, over a fairly short period of time, 60,000 factories in our country — closed, shuttered, gone. Six million jobs, at least, gone." — President Donald Trump, in remarks at the White House announcing tariffs on Chinese imports, March 22, 2018

Long before he was president, Donald Trump complained that China was "taking all our jobs." Now, with the executive branch at his command, Trump is getting even with a plan to impose $50 billion to $60 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports.

The president says China’s economic boom has come at the expense of U.S. manufacturers. To illustrate […]

President Trump’s claim that China caused 60,000 U.S. factories to close

President Trump’s claim that China caused 60,000 U.S. factories to close

“We’ve lost, over a fairly short period of time, 60,000 factories in our country — closed, shuttered, gone. Six million jobs, at least, gone.”
— President Trump, in remarks at the White House announcing tariffs on Chinese imports , March 22, 2018

Long before he was president, Donald Trump complained that China was “ taking all our jobs .” Now, with the executive branch at his command, Trump is getting even with a plan to impose $50 billion to $60 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports.
The president says China’s economic boom has come at the expense of U.S. […]

Automation destroying jobs

Automation destroying jobs

5 million new jobs, 20 Aug 2017 Weak wage growth could already be a sign of automation creating an economy in which small number of very rich employ armies of poor. One researcher warns that if we don’t fix job displacement caused by technology we could face a global crisis. Many jobs are likely to disappear due to technology and automation, but many more are likely to be created. Automation, jobs, What people forget is that when there are innovations that destroy jobs—and, as I say, Can Trump stop the automation revolution and save US jobs? […]

‘Jobs will go to robots whether we have immigration or not’: Jacob Rees-Mogg rejects claims that British businesses will turn to Artificial Intelligence after Brexit when they can’t recruit from EU

'Jobs will go to robots whether we have immigration or not': Jacob Rees-Mogg rejects claims that British businesses will turn to Artificial Intelligence after Brexit when they can't recruit from EU

Jacob Rees-Mogg has rejected claims that a potential lack of EU workers after Brexit will result in jobs being filled by artificial intelligence.

During an episode of Panorama set to air tonight the Conservative MP said that we shouldn’t be ‘frightened of mechanisation’.

He said: ‘Those jobs will go to robots whether we have immigration or not. That immigration is not the issue around technological development, technological development, artificial intelligence, mechanisation, is all happening and that will carry on.’ Jacob Rees-Mogg rejected claims that a potential lack of EU workers after Brexit will result in jobs being filled by artificial intelligence […]

Tariffs: Trump’s Worst Idea Yet

Tariffs: Trump’s Worst Idea Yet

President Donald Trump speaks at CPAC 2017. Photo credit: Gage Skidmore Last Thursday Donald Trump announced an intention to slap a 25 % tariff on steel imports, as well as a 10 % tariff on aluminum imports. This may very well be his worst idea yet – and that’s saying something!

So why are these tariffs a bad idea? Comparative advantage is a real thing. I come from Sweden, a cold country in Scandinavia with a climate that most closely resembles that of Minnesota. Here’s the thing: If we really wanted to, we could grow watermelons. Sure, we’d need gigantic […]

Universal Basic Income could ease the pain of being replaced by robots

Universal Basic Income could ease the pain of being replaced by robots

As automation becomes more prevalent, it’s time to seriously consider a Universal Basic Income. (Courtesy image) The future is upon us, and we are woefully unprepared. Earlier this week, my friend and colleague, Joe Fitz, wrote an article about driverless cars operating “without humans” in California . It talked about how, starting April 2, truly driverless cars can begin rolling down streets so the technology can be properly tested. Up until now, these vehicles have been cruising our roads with someone behind the wheel — to intervene, if necessary. This is a big step forward.

Once this technology becomes mainstream […]

Rotterdam water service line breaks, disrupts service

Rotterdam water service line breaks, disrupts service

Photographer: Shutterstock Where did all the jobs go? Well, we’re finally starting to find some satisfactory answers to the granddaddy of all economic questions.

The share of Americans with jobs dropped 4.5 percentage points from 1999 to 2016 – amounting to about 6.8 million fewer workers in 2016.

Between 50 and 70 percent of that decline probably was due to an aging population. Explaining the remainder has been the inspiration for much of the economic research published after the Great Recession.Economists and politicians have pointed at immigration, China, video games, robots, opioids, universities, working spouses – everything up to and including […]

Fewer Americans are working. Don’t blame immigrants or food stamps.

Fewer Americans are working. Don’t blame immigrants or food stamps.

Prisoners wait for breakfast at California Men’s Colony prison in San Luis Obispo, Calif., in 2013. Rising incarceration rates are one of a handful of factors that help to account for the United States’ missing jobs. (Andrew Burton/Getty Images) Where did all the jobs go? Well, we’re finally starting to find some satisfactory answers to the granddaddy of all economic questions.

The share of Americans with jobs dropped 4.5 percentage points from 1999 to 2016 — amounting to about 6.8 million fewer workers in 2016.

Between 50 and 70 percent of that decline probably was due to an aging population. Explaining […]