Automation and the Elimination of Jobs

Automation and the Elimination of Jobs


Artificial intelligence and other breakthrough technologies have the potential to revolutionize life as we know it.

There are clear benefits to a technologically driven world. In theory, that world has less disease and a higher life expectancy. Equipped with technology, our lives should become better.

But there are negative externalities to any advancements we make. For every step we take closer to the digital world, we also lose something.

For better phones, or more battery life, we likely lose less face time with friends (face time like real communication face to face, not like the app).

For automated jobs, we increase efficiency and save businesses money. We are able to create things we never thought possible and deliver value to more and more people. But what happens to the jobs? Whose jobs will get “automated,” rendering their human value “worthless?”

Many low-level laborers fear that “robots” will take over their jobs just as manufacturing has been revolutionized by the space. But perhaps it is not laborers who should be most fearful.

This tweetstorm is an alternative approach to this problem, that identifies another group.

What world are we moving towards? I do not think there is a “right” version of the future but there certainly are many negative worlds.

I’m not sure what that world looks like. But I’m curious what you all think.


Originally published at Jordan Gonen.

By jordangonen on January 18, 2017.

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Exported from Medium on February 17, 2018.