Advisor

Massive Job Loss: AI's Real and Present Danger?

Posted May 16, 2019 | Leadership |
Massive Job Loss: AI's Real and Present Danger?

Both the industrial and computer revolutions created a great deal of contemporary concern about massive unemployment, but these concerns never materialized beyond a few initial rough spots. Will the AI revolution prove equally problem-free? Probably not. Dangers lie ahead and will test the strength of our institutions as well as our technologists. The possibly massive job loss is the most tangible consequence; it would affect the greatest number of people. Smart robots keep replacing factory and warehouse workers and are showing up in service industries (e.g., self-checkout in supermarkets). AI’s machine learning and algorithms are industrializing much higher-skilled “artisanal” activity (e.g., interpreting x-rays, once thought invulnerable to automation). Nobody has good answers, but ideas like those explored in this Advisor are taking shape.

About The Author
Paul Clermont
Paul Clermont is a Cutter Expert. He has been a consultant in IT strategy, governance, and management for 40 years and is a founding member of Prometheus Endeavor, an informal group of veteran consultants in that field. His clients have been primarily in the financial and manufacturing industries, as well as the US government. Mr. Clermont takes a clear, practical view of how information technology can transform organizations and what it takes… Read More
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