What we get wrong in the “Humans vs. Robots” debate

Submarines hold a special place in our hearts. The darkness, the quiet, and the sound of the lonely, echoing sonar ping are etched into our cultural imagination. But all is not well on the front lines of ocean science and exploration. On Monday, the New York Times ran an article on the situation, “Do Humans Have a Future in Deep Sea Exploration?”

The punchline:

“The forces at play are the same as in many other realms of science — dwindling budgets, of course. And robots.

Robotic subs can stay down for days and reach extraordinary depths, instantly relaying their finds to scientists and an Internet-connected global audience. But they cannot go everywhere, and many scientists argue that studying the deep without direct human observation yields at best an incomplete understanding.”

This debate has been going on for years in a very public manner. James Cameron, the director and (human occupied) submarine explorer, and Bob Ballard, the robot-promoting discoverer of the Titanic, both penned dueling Newsweek articles about the benefits and drawbacks of each approach.

It’s a colorful example of the same “Humans vs. Robots” argument that is playing out in every other industry. Famous explorers are subject to the same changing tide. No job is safe. The robots are coming. Or so the headlines keep telling us.

It’s easy to want to pick sides, because the framing of the conversation puts the entire future at stake. For me, the ocean debate hits close to home. Our company, OpenROV, designs and manufactures underwater drones. We’re part of the robot team! But being so close to the situation, I know it’s more complicated than it first appears.

A common criticism we hear is that we’re trying to replace scuba diving. But everytime we show the device to actual scuba divers, they love it. They recognize this as a tool for going deeper, inspecting sites pre-emptively or when it’s too dangerous. They also see it as a way to bring along non-diving friends. Even commercial divers see how this will change the way they work. We’re not replacing scuba divers. OpenROVs are augmenting and connecting them. Because of new technology, the opportunities for underwater exploration are better than ever: VR-powered telepresence, remote internet control, autonomous mapping.

The deeper you dig, the more problematic the simple argument becomes. John Markoff, in his new book Machines of Loving Grace, explained the importance of this reframing:

Still, despite fears of a “jobs apocalypse,” there is another way to consider the impact of automation, robotics, and AI on society. Certainly AI and robotics technologies will destroy a vast number of jobs, but they can also be used to extend humanity. Which path is taken will be determined entirely by individual human designers.

Robots aren’t taking the jobs. Technology is changing the spectrum of possibility. The real risk in the next economy is not being replaced, it’s missing the opportunity.