The Advance of Automation
This is the last article of a three-part series on Automation. Read the first part here and second part here.
Automation does not need to be our enemy. I think machines can make life easier for men, if men do not let the machines dominate them. — John F. Kennedy
The automation of factories has already decimated jobs in traditional manufacturing, and the rise of artificial intelligence is likely to extend this job destruction deep into the middle classes, with only the most caring, creative or supervisory roles remaining. — Stephen Hawking
I know, two fairly opposing viewpoints from two great personalities. Automation has been a bone of contention in scholarly circles for long. Along with its benefits, it also raises a host of concerns. Studying the way that automated systems interact with our society is important, as, after all, technology exists for the benefit and comfort of us humans. However, before we look at how automation is affecting us, let us glance at what the future has in store.
Looking into the crystal ball
With lots of traditional jobs being lost to automated machines, it’s clear that the greatest visible impact of automation will be on the workplace. However, automation will also facilitate a lot of new, hitherto unknown, occupations. As machines will be “taught” to carry out more of the tasks currently done by humans and even some beyond the human capacity, the workforce will have to upskill and transition to a different sort of workplace. Businesses will look to deploying data analytics and intelligent systems on a large scale to accelerate their economic growth. This is also expected to increase consumer spending, which will improve the countries’ economy. As production rates fall, developing and underdeveloped nations will get access to the same products and resources as developed nations’, thus giving push to globalization and acting as a leveller, at least to some extent. There is hope that machines will tackle much of our currently unsolvable problems, such as finding cures for terminal illnesses, combating global warming, etc. While industrialists and manufacturers have been dreaming of “lights-out” factories (production done totally by automated systems, with zero human intervention) since the 1960s, it doesn’t seem possible anytime in the near future. With most of the research today focused on artificial narrow intelligence (teaching machines to complete certain repetitive tasks) rather than artificial general intelligence (teaching machines to think and reason like us), sentience/robot revolution/robot overlords only remain plots for Hollywood movies (well, now Bollywood too), and will continue to do so in the near future. However, concerns are being raised on ethical use of advanced technology, and while nothing concrete can be said as of now, the coming decades will surely give rise to discussions on morals, especially since machines still can’t fully think on their own (a popular example would be if a self-driving car kills a pedestrian, can the driver be held responsible? Or if an intelligent system creates a piece of art, would the credit for the artwork go to the system itself or to the creator of the system?) This will also mean modifying and creating new laws, as well as upgrading the police force, to deal with such incidents.
Surviving the onslaught
Here’s a surprising thing that I found — researchers are hesitant to predict the future, when it comes to automation. No one can firmly talk about the anticipated impact of automation. With so much development and research going on in the field, it’s hard to ascertain what direction the future will take. One thing, however, is clear even today — traditional jobs are quickly fizzing out, being replaced by new ones. These new jobs require a higher level of skills and specialization. To realise the full benefits of automation, we need skilled people working behind the curtains. Here’s how countries can ensure consistent job opportunities for their citizens and wholesome growth:
- Training for specialist skills, particularly within the the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Automation is the sum of many domains, and breakthroughs in each domain collectively lead to the progress of automation. Besides, focusing on one particular set of skills helps an individual transition better into the working requirements and environment brought about by automation.
- Boosting levels of education, which means urging the citizens to go for higher education, is the need of the hour. This will act as a shield against job loss, and give impetus to a highly specialized workforce, as seen in the previous point.
- Training for various attributes, other than those in the field of STEM, would be effective in building a strong society. Besides training for jobs that won’t be relinquished by automation easily (like various art forms), strengthening the mental and spiritual aspects of the citizens would go a long way in preparing the society for coping with various changes brought by automation, such as transitioning of jobs and managing new technology, which can be quite overwhelming, especially for the elderly.
The road ahead
Automation is, and will be, a major disruptor in all fields. It will one day touch our lives in ways that are incomprehensible to us today. With the proper national and world policies, especially regarding labour market and education; an environment of innovation and ingenuity, and focus on holistic development of individuals will effectively reap the benefits of automation.
References
https://www.nigelwright.com/uk/automation-and-its-impact-on-employment
https://www.britannica.com/technology/automation
https://www.hcltech.com/technology-qa/the-future-of-automation
https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/thenow/how-will-automation-impact-our-lives/1/
