AI technology and Unemployment

AI technolog and its increasing advancement continues to bring up the conversation of how it will impact our society and workforce in the future. Looking back on how far AI technology has come in the past three decades is very interesting. In Derek Partridge’s “Artificial Intelligence and Business Management”, published in 1992, he explains how AI technology will impact the future. Back in this time period, AI technology was not advanced at all and was looked at as a very positive change that will be happening to the workforce. Partridge states “We can expect increased computerization of the workplace to contribute to increased productivity, and thus increased income. Productivity gains can be exchanged for free time as well as for more money.” Well he was definitely correct about the increased productivity due to computerization, I just don’t think anyone has gained free time besides the owners of these large companies. Although in the early 1990’s AI technology was looked at as positive, there were still thoughts on the impact it can impose on unemployment. Partridge quotes Albus (1983) while discussing the risk of unemployment where Albus states “The world is filled with need. It is premature to worry about robots eliminating work as long as there exist such overwhelming problems such as providing food, clothing, shelter, education and medical care for millions of people living in desperate poverty.” Although this was said by Albus 35 years ago, it still relates to our modern society. It is doubtful that the government would regulate the use of technology that would cause mass unemployment in the workplace. This would force, as stated by albus, millions of people into desperate poverty caused by unemployment. The only way the government would then be able to support our unemployed population would be by heavily taxing the large corporations using that technology. This would basically cancel out the profits gained from increasing productivity while cutting down operation costs.

Partridge, D., & Hussain, K. M. (1992). Artificial intelligence and business management. Norwood: Ablex.