Tag: Technology

Ericsson: we should embrace ICT as a tool for transformation

Technology is a tool for transformation. It is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially when it comes to industry. We should embrace ICT as a tool for change as it promotes inclusive social and economic development for all.

Who could have imagined twenty years ago the ICT industry we have today and the possibilities it offers? Who could have imagined that mobile technology has the potential to help put an end to extreme poverty and hunger, whilst providing universal access to healthcare, secondary education and energy services? That smart solutions can make our cities more sustainable, safer […]

Can machines take our jobs without ruining our lives?

Can machines take our jobs without ruining our lives?

Thomas Dworzak/Magnum Photos Inside the machine JOHN MAYNARD KEYNES always assumed that robots would take our jobs. According to the British economist, writing in 1930, it was all down to “our means of economising the use of labour outrunning the pace at which we can find new uses for labour”. And that was no bad thing. Our working week would shrink to 15 hours by 2030, he reckoned, with the rest of our time spent trying to live “wisely, agreeably and well”.

It hasn’t happened like that – indeed, if anything many of us are working more than we used […]

Will new technologies put us out of work? A peek into the future

Will new technologies put us out of work? A peek into the future

Over the past year, questions about how emerging technologies will impact employment have taken on a new tenor. Will robots take over our jobs? One thing is indisputable: automation and artificial intelligence (AI) will displace workers in the IT and business process outsourcing services industry.

But this is not a new trend.

+ Also on Network World: The 6 hottest new jobs in IT + Such tectonic shifts have occurred every few decades over the last two centuries. With each wave of new technology and each accompanying paradigm shift, jobs have disappeared. During the Industrial Revolution, people feared the loss […]

What will the world of work look like in 2066?

What will the world of work look like in 2066?

Credit: Getty Images MT at 50: From robot domination to self-led organisations, here are three scenarios of what our working lives could look like in 50 years’ time.

Looking back is much easier than looking forward – when Management Today published its first issue in 1966, Britain was debating decimalisation, the average weekly wage was £14 and workers were enjoying a ‘golden age’ of employment and easy-to-find jobs.

As our Future of Work special report has demonstrated, we’ve come a long way since then, but it’s safe to say that the changes over the next 50 years will be ever […]

Rise of the robots and a jobless future

Rise of the robots and a jobless future

BY MURRAY BECOTTE

SILICON Valley entrepreneur Martin Ford paints a frightening picture in his book Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future. Ford argues that artificial intelligence and robotics are causing a revolution that won’t be the same as the industrial revolution where as old jobs were eliminated and more were created with the new technology of the era. Ford believes that as technology continues to accelerate and machines begin taking care of themselves, fewer people will be necessary.

Computers can now work things out for themselves using trial and error to develop their own […]

The robots are coming, should we be worried?

The robots are coming, should we be worried?

In healthcare, AI could advance to the point where it could diagnose conditions and make decisions on treatment. Photo / Getty Images As the use of technology and robots continues to change the way people work, New Zealanders aren’t considering the possibility that their jobs might be impacted or taken over by this according to Massey University research.

The study, conducted by David Brougham from Massey University’s School of Management, showed 87.5 per cent of survey respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement ‘smart technology, artificial intelligence, robotics or algorithms could take my job’ – results that Brougham said […]

Things I didn’t know: Global economic thoughts from Ford’s ‘Rise of the Robots’

Things I didn’t know: Global economic thoughts from Ford’s ‘Rise of the Robots’

Here are some things I learned from Martin Ford’s fascinating book, Rise of the Robots .

— Jobs that go overseas tend to come back, but in automated form. Thus the U.S. textile industry rebounded between 2009 and 2012, with exports rising 37 percent. “The turnaround by automation technology is so efficient that it is competitive with even the lowest-wage offshore workers.” The problem is when the jobs come back, they are filled by robots , so productivity increases, but not employment. Play Video

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Kiwi workers don’t fear ‘robot redundancy’

Kiwi workers don't fear 'robot redundancy'

"Often jobs actually consist of a set of repetitive actions that can be codified and done by a robot. This applies to many jobs currently considered high skill, like accountants, lawyers and researchers." It’s a much-discussed topic among 21st century humans: will I lose my job to a robot?

Despite countless stories in the media about the threat of "robot redundancy", a new survey has found most Kiwis don’t see machines as a workplace worry.

The Massey University study found 87.5 per cent of respondents either disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement "smart technology, artificial intelligence, robotics or algorithms could […]

How robots will change the world

How robots will change the world

Artificial intelligence and robotic technologies could lead to mass unemployment. Our economy will need profound changes to avoid social unrest, says Simon Wilson. Will robots take over?

No – but they might steal your job. The rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), sensor development and other areas mean that robots are acquiring a range of skills – from diagnosing disease to driving cars to understanding natural language – that used to be the preserve of humans. That doesn’t mean that robots are about to become self-aware and take over, like Skynet in the Terminator films.

In real life, robots and […]

Where have all the good jobs gone?

Where have all the good jobs gone?

The good jobs are disappearing. Those that predated the digital revolution are dropping away altogether or being replaced by low-paying service jobs and other less secure employment. These include part-time jobs, freelance contracting and gig opportunities. The number of Americans working under these arrangements rose by 9.4 million from 2005 to 2015; 48 million Americans are now in low paying jobs.

This growing job shift is transformational. For employers, it offers new efficiencies and greater flexibility. Workers are cheaper and fewer can demand benefits. Employers can staff-up as needed; workers take the risks.

Momentous technological advances exert a steady and downward […]