Tag: employment

Learning From Automation Anxiety of the Past

Learning From Automation Anxiety of the Past

Much like during the industrial revolution, today’s automation anxiety is entirely justified. But history shows us that the real challenge lies in the sphere of policy, not technology. On the night of April 24, 1907, New York’s lamplighters left the lights out and went on strike. The 25,000 gaslights that normally kept the streets of Manhattan bright at night were never lit. As it grew darker, complaints from impatient New Yorkers to the local police poured in, but with little effect. Even by 9 p.m., the only bright public spots were a few transverse roads in Central Park, which […]

Can Robots Take Away Our Jobs? Here’s How Indian Employment Market Will Change with AI-driven Revolution

Can Robots Take Away Our Jobs? Here's How Indian Employment Market Will Change with AI-driven Revolution

A new book, titled ‘Bridgital Nation: Solving Technology’s People Problem’, claims that 90 million individuals will join India’s working-age population between 2020 and 2030, which is “the single largest mass of people to come of working-age in any country that decade”. And if you thought this increasing competition at the job market (which is already in a bad condition) is a cause of concern, the authors of the book N Chandrasekaran (the chairman of Tata Sons) and Roopa Purushothaman (chief economist, Tata Sons) also point out that advancement of technology and the evolution of AI will also play a […]

AI and automation will disrupt our world — but only Andrew Yang is warning about it

AI and automation will disrupt our world — but only Andrew Yang is warning about it

AI and automation will disrupt our world — but only Andrew Yang is warning about it Disruption of the job market and the economy from automation and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the primary ideas animating ’s surprising campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. Alone among the candidates, Yang is directly engaging with one of the central forces that will shape our futures.

Over the past ten years, I have written two books on the subject of artificial intelligence and its impact on the job market and the economy. I’ve spoken at dozens of events in […]

We Need To Talk About How ‘Medicare For All’ Will Affect Jobs And Income

We Need To Talk About How 'Medicare For All' Will Affect Jobs And Income

“Medicare for All” plans, such as those proposed by Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, qualify as “big structural change,” to use Warren’s phrase. The elimination of private health insurance in favor of “free” government health coverage is certainly change that’s big and structural. Same goes for the all the tax increases and the payment of much lower rates to physicians and hospitals.

But those are the known big structural changes, or BSCs — at least the ones mentioned in candidate plans. But what about other BSCs that may be less obvious? Would, say, overriding drug patents affect the type of […]

Why are we stuck with a 40-hour work week?

Why are we stuck with a 40-hour work week?

Careers Image: © taniasv/Stock.adobe.com Though we have the tools and technology to work less and live better, we have yet to reach this vision for society. Toby Phillips explains why.

In 1930, a year into the Great Depression, John Maynard Keynes sat down to write about the economic possibilities for his grandchildren. Despite widespread gloom as the global economic order fell to its knees, the British economist remained upbeat, saying that the “prevailing world depression … blind[s] us to what is going on under the surface”.

In this essay , Keynes predicted that in 100 years’ time (ie 2030), society would […]

WiCipedia: Tech Falls High in Happiness Index & the Blue Collar-AI Struggle

WiCipedia: Tech Falls High in Happiness Index & the Blue Collar-AI Struggle

Comment (0) This week in our WiCipedia roundup: Techies are pretty dang happy at work; AI’s effect on female blue-collar workers; college students are majority female though tech workforce lags; and more. Despite tech’s reputation for having double standards for different genders and races, people who work in tech are still some of the most satisfied with their careers. A study from CNBC and SurveyMonkey examined the happiness indexes of different professions, and found that 90% of tech workers are satisfied with their jobs. "With their high salaries, enviable perks, and jobs that really are changing the way the […]

Automation to cut work week to three days: Richard Branson

Automation to cut work week to three days: Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group, and Investec joint-CEO Fani Titi. Employees will in future only work three days a week, as business models change as a result of automation taking over certain tasks in the workplace.

This is the word from Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of multinational conglomerate, Virgin Group, addressing the “Business Is An Adventure” event organised by Virgin, in partnership with Investec, yesterday in Johannesburg.

Speaking during a panel discussion titled, “Business out of the ordinary”, facilitated by journalist and former radio presenter Redi Tlhabi, the British billionaire warned of the reality that […]

Automation to cut work week to three days: Richard Branson

Automation to cut work week to three days: Richard Branson

Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group, and Investec joint-CEO Fani Titi. Employees will in future only work three days a week, as business models change as a result of automation taking over certain tasks in the workplace.

This is the word from Sir Richard Branson, founder and chairman of multinational conglomerate, Virgin Group, addressing the “Business Is An Adventure” event organised by Virgin, in partnership with Investec, yesterday in Johannesburg.

Speaking during a panel discussion titled, “Business out of the ordinary”, facilitated by journalist and former radio presenter Redi Tlhabi, the British billionaire warned of the reality that […]

Robots, automation and AI, oh my!

Robots, automation and AI, oh my!

Last month, participants in Columbus VC firm Drive Capital’s second robotics and automation summit spent the day exploring the future.

Whether it was robots that deliver packages, using ant colonies to inspire a redesign of supply chain, or software that simplifies industrial robot programming, those attending Devol’s Dance — including startup founders, executives, investors and thought leaders — shared ideas about the world we’re shaping.

Drive Capital Partner Chris Olsen says he remembers the days of technology investing, where as part of due diligence, you looked in server rooms to see how they racked and stacked their hardware.“Then you could get […]

These American workers are the most afraid of A.I. taking their jobs

These American workers are the most afraid of A.I. taking their jobs

The Terminator movie franchise is back, and the idea that robots and artificial intelligence are coming for us — specifically, our jobs — is a big part of the present. But the majority of the working population remains unafraid of a T-800 stealing their employment.

Only a little over one-quarter (27%) of all workers say they are worried that the job they have now will be eliminated within the next five years as a result of new technology, robots or artificial intelligence, according to the quarterly CNBC/SurveyMonkey Workplace Happiness survey.

Nevertheless, the survey results show it may be only a matter […]