Tag: consumption

Want to Make an Advanced Robot? Beware of these Repercussions

Want to Make an Advanced Robot? Beware of these Repercussions

The artificial intelligence age is here marching ahead to increase human productivity in multiple ways, transforming everything from transportation to education to healthcare. Some enthusiastic computer scientists even think humanity will find a “master algorithm” that will fix our politics and make lives “longer, happier and more productive.” In the grandest of these visions, smart computing machines could automate all of the scientific discovery.

As automation deploys itself into more and more uses, many people worry about the future of their work and the security of their jobs. Ever wondered what will happen if millions of human workers no longer […]

How robots became a scapegoat for the destruction of the working class

How robots became a scapegoat for the destruction of the working class

Should workers fear the robots ? You don’t have to look far to find lots of people shouting "yes."

Magazines and newspapers blare headlines like " Welcoming our new robot overlords ," " When your new co-worker is a robot ," and " You will lose your job to a robot — and sooner than you think ." Studies suggest anywhere from 9 percent to 47 percent of American jobs could be automated in the next few decades. In 2017, Bill Gates proposed a "robot tax" to address the problem. Andrew Yang, a long-shot contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, […]

Editorial: Too many can’t afford to buy healthy food

It has been known for some time that certain foods are linked to ailments such as heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and a variety of cancers. Red meat, processed meat and products high in saturated fat such as cream top the list.

With this in mind, Health Canada has issued a new Food Guide, which places more emphasis on fruit, vegetables and whole grains.

The problem is that half of the working-class families in our country say they either cannot afford such a diet or would find it a struggle. And their concern is understandable.The price of vegetables is forecast to […]

Good life after work

Good life after work

LONDON ― Almost all "robots are coming" stories follow a tried-and-true pattern. "Shop Direct puts 2,000 UK jobs at risk," screams a typical headline.
Then, quoting from authoritative reports from prestigious institutes and think tanks, the article in question usually alarms audiences with extravagant estimates of "jobs at risk" ― that is, percentages of workers whose livelihoods are threatened by high-tech automation.
To quote another representative example: "A new report suggests that the marriage of [artificial intelligence] and robotics could replace so many jobs that the era of mass employment could come to an end."
Sometimes, this […]

Good life after work

Good life after work

LONDON ― Almost all "robots are coming" stories follow a tried-and-true pattern. "Shop Direct puts 2,000 UK jobs at risk," screams a typical headline.
Then, quoting from authoritative reports from prestigious institutes and think tanks, the article in question usually alarms audiences with extravagant estimates of "jobs at risk" ― that is, percentages of workers whose livelihoods are threatened by high-tech automation.
To quote another representative example: "A new report suggests that the marriage of [artificial intelligence] and robotics could replace so many jobs that the era of mass employment could come to an end."
Sometimes, this […]

The good life after work

The good life after work

LONDON – Almost all “robots are coming” stories follow a tried-and-true pattern. “Shop Direct puts 2,000 UK jobs at risk,” screams a typical headline. Then, quoting from authoritative reports from prestigious institutes and think tanks, the article in question usually alarms audiences with extravagant estimates of “jobs at risk” – that is, percentages of workers whose livelihoods are threatened by high-tech automation. To quote another representative example: “A new report suggests that the marriage of [artificial intelligence] and robotics could replace so many jobs that the era of mass employment could come to an end.” Sometimes, this bleak outlook […]

The Good Life After Work

The Good Life After Work

Almost all “robots are coming” stories follow a tried-and-true pattern. “Shop Direct puts 2,000 UK jobs at risk,” screams a typical headline. Then, quoting from authoritative reports from prestigious institutes and think tanks, the article in question usually alarms audiences with extravagant estimates of “jobs at risk” – that is, percentages of workers whose livelihoods are threatened by high-tech automation. To quote another representative example: “A new report suggests that the marriage of [artificial intelligence] and robotics could replace so many jobs that the era of mass employment could come to an end.”

Sometimes, this bleak outlook is […]

Energy, employment and economic growth: Kemp

Energy, employment and economic growth: Kemp

LONDON (Reuters) – Policymakers in the advanced economies are increasingly worried by the economic, social and political disruption resulting from the decline of traditional manual jobs in manufacturing, mining and distribution. FILE PHOTO: Job seekers wait to speak with staff at a National Agency for Employment (Pole Emploi) office in Aubervilliers, near Paris, France, December 20, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Globalization, trade, migration, the rise of the internet, and the advent of artificial intelligence/robotization have all been blamed for the adverse impact on those who make a living from manual labor.

In reality, the loss of manual employment is the extension […]

Energy, employment and economic growth

Energy, employment and economic growth

Reuters (The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)

LONDON, April 11 (Reuters) – Policymakers in the advanced economies are increasingly worried by the economic, social and political disruption resulting from the decline of traditional manual jobs in manufacturing, mining and distribution.

In reality, the loss of manual employment is the extension of a trend dating back more than 200 years that has gradually replaced physical jobs in agriculture, mining and manufacturing with service sector employment.Relatively rapid change in employment, energy consumption and industrial patterns has been both the stimulus to, and the consequence of, economic […]

Energy, employment and economic growth: Kemp

Energy, employment and economic growth: Kemp

LONDON (Reuters) – Policymakers in the advanced economies are increasingly worried by the economic, social and political disruption resulting from the decline of traditional manual jobs in manufacturing, mining and distribution. FILE PHOTO: Job seekers wait to speak with staff at a National Agency for Employment (Pole Emploi) office in Aubervilliers, near Paris, France, December 20, 2017. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Globalization, trade, migration, the rise of the internet, and the advent of artificial intelligence/robotization have all been blamed for the adverse impact on those who make a living from manual labor.

In reality, the loss of manual employment is the extension […]