Are Robotics/AI killing American Jobs?

[Alfred_B]

Are Robotics/AI killing American Jobs? They are killing some type of jobs.

But ultimately this is not the correct question to ask. It is a better question to ask Are Robotics/AI Helping or Hurting The American People? Unfortunately, as people we are unable to think for the whole society and always focus on subsections when identifying issues. As such, we are going to see sections of the society who will be hurt very badly and some sections who will benefit greatly.

 

[StevieC]

A World economy that isn't fairly balanced globally and causing great pain to wealthier countries.

 

[Mr Nice]

Get a job that can NOT be done by a robot or outsourced to another country.

Lots of jobs in the USA that people never have to worry about a robot.

 

[StevieC]

Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Get a job that can NOT be done by a robot or outsourced to another country.

Lots of jobs in the USA that people never have to worry about a robot.



The problem with this...

1) Not everyone can do every job because of whatever limitation they might have
2) Not enough of these jobs to go around
3) Not all the jobs pay a proper living so what are families supposed to do.
4) As jobs become replaced with robots there are less folks spending into the economy because they are without their newly displaced job so it creates ripples through the whole economy and it affects everyone.

 

[andrewg]

Yes...some jobs are lost....gradually. It's the way it is. For workers like me, I'll eventually be replaced by a robotic device. It's inevitable. I'll be retired by the time it happens. Most of us will adapt in one way or another.

Where robotics/AI freaks me out is in our personal lives. Creepy stuff.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Robots don't join unions and they don't lose productivity talking about what happened over at their neighbors the Jackson's last night. Plus they don't need smoke breaks.


And the are likely legal to start with …

 

[4WD]

There will be mass robot shootings as a result …

 

[knerml]

Robotics allow more companies to produce more products cost effectively in the USA.

If it where not for robotics, fewer cars/trucks would be manufactured here and those high paying jobs would be lost.

Just look at Hyundai/Kia, most of their higher end products have been manufactured here for over 15 years.

 

[JTK]

I wonder how many people and man-hours are required to design, build and maintain robots.. OR are robots doing that now! AHHGG!

 

[4WD]

I think manufacturing vs assembly is what we have … and the parts start as parts … I’ll always wonder how much came from Kaesong …

 

[i_hate_autofraud]

Yes, those Carrier jobs don't have to go to mexico, robotics replaced them here!

I wonder if a balance between man and machine will reached and leave some jobs for the
skilled trades....

 

[4WD]

We have greatly automated in many fields … but still have operations/surveillance, maintenance, and repairs of these machines … and where the machine and final product resides …

 

[SZR48207]

Who do you blame when a robot capable of machine learning screws up?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: knerml
Robotics allow more companies to produce more products cost effectively in the USA.

Exactly. While robotics/automation may be eliminating some jobs, it is also responsible for making goods a lot cheaper to acquire, which means that you can work less to maintain the same standard of living as in the past, before this automation was implemented. Take a TV set for example... back in 1950, you'd have to spend about 12-15% of an average annual family income to purchase a TV set. Today, it's more like 0.4% of average annual family income, and today's TV is infinitely better than the 1950 TV.

Granted, today we have invented all sorts of other ways to blow our income on, so it seems like working less is not an option if you want to keep up with Joneses and have the latest gadgets and pay for various monthly subscription services, but we only have ourselves to blame for it.

 

[Leo99]

It's a changing world. People need to adapt. Our schools could do a better job of preparing our students for the future. Other countries are much more progressive in teaching skills that will be marketable when the students enter the job market.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
I agree with what you say but I do question how much of those "savings" will be passed to the end consumer versus absorbed by corporate greed, but that is a discussion for another day.


Businesses will only pass on savings to the consumers if they have strong competition. If patents, protection laws, regulation, politics, corruptions, etc get involved there will not be incentives to pass down the savings, manual labor made or automated, service or goods.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Reddy45
Who do you blame when a robot capable of machine learning screws up?


That's easy: the guy who sign the contract to buy and deploy the robot. He is responsible for testing and vetting to make sure it is ready for action.

The point is, automation and machinery are the same, they are tools that human use to make things easier and cheaper.

People's job got obsoleted and people go unemployed and then switch career, or retired. This happened for centuries and it will continue to happen. Traveling salesmen are gone, malls are closing. Hand made items are now machine made. Car salesmen sit in front of monitors instead of walking and talking in the parking lot. Middlemen are cut out. AI and machine learning replaced office clerks. People in warehouses stay in one station and pick things into bins that move around the warehouse. Truck drive themselves.

Basically things go from point to point with minimal manual labor. You will end up with 1 college grad with some engineering or computer skill replace 3-5 near retirement age workers, and it has happened gradually for centuries already.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Granted, today we have invented all sorts of other ways to blow our income on, so it seems like working less is not an option if you want to keep up with Joneses and have the latest gadgets and pay for various monthly subscription services, but we only have ourselves to blame for it.


The cost of living will always be high, and it will always be bad if income inequality is huge in your area. Basically you are competing with others for the same standard of living (home location, goods and service price, tax, traffic congestion, etc).

We will never get to only work 4 days a week, we'll just get 20% unemployment instead. BTW, when everyone has way too much money for all the gadgets and cars to buy? Home price will go up.

Sad truth.

 

[Andrew1972]

No robotics and AI make better jobs to support/create th tech and able to move folks from mundane stuff or avoiding jobs abroad.

I understand some folks are capable of performing certain unskilled work however the balance should get off their butts, educate themselves for upper end manufacturing. I remember so many lazy folks in high wasting the opportunity and now struggling back at home in unskilled stuff and seasonal work.

I worked hard always and parents did not care what I did.

 

[Mr Nice]

Originally Posted By: madRiver
No robotics and AI make better jobs to support/create th tech and able to move folks from mundane stuff or avoiding jobs abroad.

I understand some folks are capable of performing certain unskilled work however the balance should get off their butts, educate themselves for upper end manufacturing. I remember so many lazy folks in high wasting the opportunity and now struggling back at home in unskilled stuff and seasonal work.

I worked hard always and parents did not care what I did.


Education opens doors of opportunity especially here in the USA.