Tag: software

On automation and the future of work: A short-read Q&A with economist Daron Acemoglu

As the next generation of robots arrives in the workplace, will they enable workers or replace them? According to MIT’s Daron Acemoglu, one of the most frequently cited economists in the world, this distinction is the difference between technology that raises workers’ wages versus tech that reduces overall employment and stifles wage growth.

Daron Acemoglu is a professor of economics at MIT, a frequent contributor to Foreign Policy Magazine, and co-author of the book Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty . He joined me to discuss his recent research and what technological innovation means for the […]

‘Manufacturing will not create jobs, India must look elsewhere’

'Manufacturing will not create jobs, India must look elsewhere’

Adair Turner has been a banker, a director of the McKinsey management consultancy, visiting professor at the London School of Economics, and chairman of the UK’s financial services authority. He has worked on some of the most pressing issues of our time, including global financial stability, climate change, inequality. His current work focuses on the growing global jobs crisis, and on Monday, Turner was in Bengaluru to deliver a talk on `Capitalism and Robots’ as part of a lecture series of the Azim Premji University. He also spoke separately to TOI on the issue.

You appear worried about the […]

WFSGI Manufacturers Forum delves into a digital world

WFSGI Manufacturers Forum delves into a digital world

The upcoming WFSGI World Manufacturers Forum this year focuses on digitalisation, automation, disruptive technologies and innovation – and will offer delegates the chance to take part in a tailor-made guided tour around Productronica, the world-leading trade fair for electronics development and production.

The fifth such event organised by the World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry (WFSGI) is titled ‘Moving on to a digital and automated business of the future,’ and takes place on 14-15 November at the Munich Trade Fair Center (Messe München).

The event picks up on themes from previous years, which have most recently looked at ‘Beyond Lean […]

Third of British workers would be happy to have a robot boss

Third of British workers would be happy to have a robot boss

Nearly a third of British workers would be happy to have a robot as a boss, a new study has suggested.

A poll of 1,000 workers by cloud accounting software provider FreeAgent revealed that 31% would work for a robot boss, while 11% believe a "roboboss" would be more efficient than a human.

One in 10 workers said working for a robot boss would be just the same as answering to a human boss, with 42% of respondents saying they would be "comfortable" taking orders from a robot.The survey also revealed that men are more receptive to the idea of a […]

With Uber Out, London Coalition Calls for Driver-Owned “Khan’s Cars”

With Uber Out, London Coalition Calls for Driver-Owned “Khan’s Cars”

Taxis blocked London roads in 2016 as drivers protested unfair competition from services such as Uber. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Last Friday, Transport for London (TfL) announced it would not renew Uber’s operating license when it expires on Sept. 30. The city transportation authority cited the ride-hailing app company’s habit of flouting government regulations and its approach to reporting serious crimes among the reasons for canceling the license. Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi responded with apologies and vows to appeal the surprise decision. More than 801,000 people have already signed a petition that Uber started calling on TfL to reverse the […]

Do we need a robot tax for businesses?

Do we need a robot tax for businesses?

Cyber capital: taxing robots could help slow the pace of automation Credit: Getty Rob Waugh

Since Bill Gates made the case for taxing robots like human workers, governments worldwide have been weighing up how this would really affect the global economy

Self-driving lorries are going to be on Britain’s roads next year – part of a coming wave of automation that could see jobs such as drivers, security guards and even accountants swept away by a robotic revolution.This year, Bill Gates suggested a radical idea – that governments should tax these new robot “employees”, just like they do […]

Nearly a third of British workers would be happy to have a robot boss

Nearly a third of British workers would be happy to have a robot boss

Or maybe your boss is already a robot? With the Bank of England projecting that up to 15m jobs might be at risk due to robots, a new survey today reveals that nearly a third of British workers (31 per cent) would be happy to work for a robot boss.

● New research shows that one in ten think a “roboboss” would be “more efficient” than a human, with men more likely to accept a non-human boss than women

● In the UK, Welsh and Northern Irish workers were most open to working for a robot● The majority of working Brits […]

Robo-pocalypse not-quite-Now

Robo-pocalypse not-quite-Now

Another day, another apocalyptic story about robots stealing human jobs. This time, the headlines shout that over four million UK private sector jobs will be seized by machines, AKA 15% of the total workforce.

Unusually, the story is sourced from YouGov statistics, which are quoted in a new report, The Age of Automation , published by the RSA. However, closer reading of the 83-page document reveals the mainstream media headlines to be sensationalist and inaccurate.

That’s no surprise, but it does little to help organizations locate the signal in the constant media noise about a machine apocalypse.What the statistics actually say […]

INSIGHTS Finally Oracle

INSIGHTS Finally Oracle

Future Digital Finance West | Dec 4-5 | Phoenix, AZ
Hear 30+ digital finance leaders who are transforming the industry address omni and mobile banking strategies, customer-centric digital innovation and emerging fintech that solves real customer problems. 25% discount available to finance execs. A WBR Event. View agenda and learn more.

Oracle showed some very good numbers in its latest earnings announcement. As it begins its second year of aggressive cloud promotion, the company overall is showing significant year-over-year improvements, thanks to its turn to cloud infrastructure, applications and platforms. Yet when read right, the numbers announce the […]

Why skills and education are the real robot battleground

Why skills and education are the real robot battleground

This has been a record-breaking year for industrial robotics, says the Robotic Industries Association (RIA) of the US.

In total, over 19,000 industrial robots worth $1 billion were sold in North America alone during the first half of 2017, the highest ever number of orders for the region. The figures reveal a one-third year-on-year increase in shipments for the first two quarters, and a 26% surge in spending.

Orders grew most in the automotive sector, which saw a 39% increase in purchases. Globally, the automotive robotics market is set to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.74 per […]