Tag: employment

Book review: Science fiction talking about robots, not quite talking to robots

Book review: Science fiction talking about robots, not quite talking to robots

It is remarkable that even in 2019, Isaac Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics (first detailed in the 1942 story Runaround ) still offer the most accessible gateway to discussing robotics – and “robopsychology”.

David Ewing Duncan quotes Asimov’s First Law of Robotics even prior to the prelude of Talking to Robots, which serves up a tantalising clue as to the speculative (not to say, fictional) nature of his work. Unlike proper science fiction though, Duncan isn’t seeing too far into the future – only about 30 years hence. And even here, he is extrapolating from present circumstance, based on his […]

Solution for the shortage of skilled workers?

Solution for the shortage of skilled workers?

But it’s not that simple: digitisation and automation cannot replace the skilled workers needed. Digitisation and automation of skilled workers give hope that the labour market will ease soon. According to experts, however, the topic has to be viewed in a differentiated way.

The economic downturn does not solve the skilled labour problem. However, just under half (48 %) of managers in mechanical engineering and plant construction believe that increasing automation and digitisation will alleviate the shortage, according to a recent survey by personnel service provider Hays. Experts take a critical view of this. “Especially in the highly qualified segment, […]

White collar workers will be most affected by AI in the new economy, study suggests

White collar workers will be most affected by AI in the new economy, study suggests

In 2015, Stanford University Ph.D. student Michael Webb watched as his classmates in the computer science program became increasingly interested in the advancements of artificial intelligence (AI). An outlier, he was more focused on the economic implications of the technologies.

But there was a dearth of reports that solely focused on the impact AI has on different sectors and occupations. Instead, most analyses generalized technology to include a wide range of automation and software.

Although often used interchangeably, AI and automation are not one and the same: AI technologies are designed to mimic human thinking and actions, while automation performs repetitive […]

We Would Rather Lose Our Jobs To Robots Than Humans, A Study Shows

We Would Rather Lose Our Jobs To Robots Than Humans, A Study Shows

sorbetto via Getty Images Losing a job can be stressful and demoralizing. Seeing your role replaced by automation is an additional stressor that more workers will have to contend with and worry about in the future.

Robots are already replacing people in some jobs. Apps take orders in chain restaurants, and some supermarkets use self-checkout machines to replace checkers. This is the new reality. The Brookings Institution predicts that 36 million Americans face a “high exposure to automation” in the coming decades, meaning they will have more than 70% of their role at risk of being substituted by artificial intelligence.

If […]

Entrepreneurship is key to solving youth unemployment

Entrepreneurship is key to solving youth unemployment

Wee So-yeon By Wee So-yeon
Korea has been through an extraordinary economic success often referred to as the miracle on the Han River. This was a blossoming moment of the country with apparent economic progress being made, surprising the whole world by becoming a powerful country from one of the poorest countries of the time. However, such incredible growth in the economy now seems to have reached the end, Korea stuck in a stagnant point.
One of the most critical consequences of this sluggish economy is that there are not enough opportunities offered for youth in the labor market […]

Making the brave new world of automation work for society

Making the brave new world of automation work for society

Automation is a powerful force for good, but we must ensure that these technologies work for everyone (via Getty Images) As the chief executive of a business that employs 63,000 people and aims to be a leading provider of automation services in the UK, I am frequently asked what this technology will mean for society.

Often, what people really want to know is if their job is safe — and if theirs is, whose isn’t?

Following a pioneering project in conjunction with Lynda Gratton, professor of management practice at London Business School, and insight consultancy BritainThinks, we will tomorrow launch our […]

What Should the Government Do About the Coming Automation Apocalypse?

What Should the Government Do About the Coming Automation Apocalypse?

Automation is commonly thought of as an attempt by rich companies to get richer. Instead, it’s often an effort to cut costs when the future of the economy looks bleak. Take, for example, the economic slump of the 1950s . Though 13 million jobs were ultimately destroyed during the decade, an astounding 20 million new ones were created — thanks, in large part, to technological advancements such as automation .

With visions of the next recession already clouding the horizon for many Americans, we can bet on a sweeping wave of automation technology to shake up the workforce once again. […]

Robotics and coding big focus for rural school students preparing for future job industries

Robotics and coding big focus for rural school students preparing for future job industries

Video: Robotics rodeo project Ready Steady Ride (ABC News) Robotics and coding skills are becoming necessities in rural schools wanting to improve the future employment opportunities for their students. Regional schools are preparing students for future jobs that will rely on robotics and automation skills

Many public libraries offer free tutorials in robot building and coding

Australia will need an estimated 161,000 artificial intelligence specialists by 2030 While fellow classmates run around the schoolyard during lunchtime, 11-year-old Katelyn Peters and her friends are busy tinkering away with programming robots.For her it is not only a fun hobby, she is […]

Letters to the Editor: Saving jobs in the digital world

Letters to the Editor: Saving jobs in the digital world

Beaven Dhliwayo

It is becoming more apparent that today’s jobs will be replaced by machines.

Many people are wondering if robots can do their jobs at a time the world economy is already facing major employment crisis.In the recent past, the discussion about technology in the future of work has tended to centre on the issues of job creation and destruction and the need for reskilling.Technology is fast evolving, at the same time connecting the digital world with the physical one, resulting in new innovations such as artificial intelligence and self-driving cars.Zimbabwe should not be left behind and should equip […]

Alexsis Rodgers column: The value of a care economy in Virginia

Alexsis Rodgers column: The value of a care economy in Virginia

A home health aide helped an elderly woman pour her cereal at the breakfast table. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the U.S. will add 1.2 million care jobs by 2028. The future of work already is here, and it’s right in our homes. Domestic work is projected to have the most anticipated growth in the job market in the next 10 years, not jobs in the technology sector. Thanks to an aging population that’s living longer, Virginia has an opportunity to boost its economy and provide quality jobs through care work if we give domestic workers labor […]