Are Robots Taking Jobs or Creating New Ones?

Humans fearing machines is a familiar theme that’s been around for a long time. Hollywood has done an excellent job portraying the fallout of robots gone rogue, and the chaos that ensues when artificial intelligence gets too smart. But in 2018, the trending concern is more about the loss of jobs and long-term unemployment than a robot doomsday. On the surface, it seems valid enough. But what is the reality of the situation, and how might automation actually benefit the future of work and create new jobs?

Automation accelerates change and business evolves. Automobiles disrupted the horse and buggy industry, and cross-country communication advanced from the pony express to computers sending messages from our pockets! The end of each era seals the fate of some jobs as obsolete, while others progress towards machine automation. This however, has not yet left humans out of luck and unemployed. Rather, new jobs and entire industries have emerged with roles best designed for human beings – instead of human ‘doings.‘

Up and to this point, robotic automation has functioned to compliment human labor rather than replace it. This relationship increases the value of human effort for things like creativity, strategic thinking, and innovation; while also facilitating a safer and more efficient workplace.

In examining the past you’ll find example after example of positive effects of automation. And although we can’t predict the future, it would be surprising for this new generation of technology to bring about such different outcomes. That said, we also appreciate that as business owners and industry leaders, we must be mindfully step towards progress. The decision to automate is one that will revolutionize your organization, so explore the benefits and consequences of each opportunity as they present themselves.