The politics of automation: Learning to embrace disruption
September 10, 2019
by Rick Lazio, alliantgroup Senior Vice President
Published in Plant Services
Automation has been a prime topic in our nation’s political discourse in recent years. As the common doom-and-gloom narrative goes, the rise of automation and corresponding technologies such as AI, robotics, and the internet of things will spell the end of work as we know it, leading to the disruption of labor markets and the displacement of millions of workers.
There is some measure of truth in these predictions, with numerous studies highlighting specific jobs and skill sets that will be automated out of existence. According to a study from the McKinsey Global Institute, occupations that perform “physical activities in highly structured and predictable work environments” (i.e., clerical work, retail, physical labor, etc.) are the most susceptible to automation – and the disappearance of these jobs […]
