Technologies such as robots, artificial intelligence and machine learning are evolving at a rapid pace. These advances can improve the speed, quality and costs of goods and services, but also put large numbers of workers out of work. This possibility calls into question the traditional model of benefits, according to which health coverage and pensions are linked to employment. In an economy that requires far fewer workers, we need to think about how to guarantee benefits to the unemployed. If automation is going to reduce job security in the future, there must be non-employment benefits. “Flexicurity” or flexible security is one of the possible ways to guarantee access to health, education and housing for people without permanent employment. What’s more, production accounts by branches of activity can pay for continuous training and professional retraining. No matter how individuals choose to spend their time, they must be able to lead fulfilling lives even when society needs fewer workers.
The list of new technologies grows every day. Robots, augmented reality, algorithms, and machine-to-machine communications help people with a wide variety of tasks.(1) These technologies are far-reaching and far-reaching in their potential to transform businesses and human lives. They have the ability to make life easier for individuals and improve their personal and work relationships.(2) Technology is becoming increasingly advanced and this has a considerable impact on the workforce.(3)
In this chapter I examine the impact of robots, artificial intelligence, and machine learning on the workforce and public policy. If society needs fewer workers due to automation and robotics, and many of the social benefits are tied to having a job, how is the non-active population going to receive health care and pensions for a long period of time? Public policy programs must address high-profile issues and ways must be found to provide social benefits in the new digital economy.
EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES
robots
The number of industrial robots has increased throughout the developed world. In 2013, for example, there were an estimated 1.2 million robots in use. This number rose to almost 1.5 million in 2014 and is projected to reach 1.9 million in 2017.(4) Japan has the highest figure with 306,700, followed by North America (237,400), China (182,300), Korea South (175,600) and Germany (175,200). In total, the robotics industry is expected to grow from $15 billion today to $67 billion by 2025.(5)
A study by RBC Global Asset Management shows that robotics and automation costs have been substantially reduced. In the past, “the high costs of industrial robotics restricted its use to a few high-wage sectors, such as the automotive industry . However, in recent years, the average costs of robots have become cheaper, and in many strategic industries in Asia, the cost of robots and the unit costs of a low-wage workforce are beginning to converge… Robots today represent a viable alternative to the human worker ‘.
In the contemporary world there are many robots that perform complex functions. According to a presentation on robots, “At the beginning of the 21st century we saw the first wave of social robots. They were lovely little pets, like AIBO, Pleo and Paro. As robotics have advanced, thanks in large part to the smartphone, a new generation of social robots has been born, with the humanoids Pepper and Jimmy and the near-human Jibo and Sophie, a software robotic Geppetto Avatars. A fundamental factor of the social skills of robots is their ability to understand and respond correctly to human speech and its underlying and emotional contexts ».
These machines are enabled to be creative. Anthropologist Eitan Wilf of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem tells us that sociable robots are ” a cultural resource for negotiating problems of intentionality .” He describes a ” jazz improvising humanoid robot with his marimba,” capable of interpreting a musical context and responding creatively to the improvisations of other musicians. Its creators can put it in a jazz band, and it will improvise with the rest of the musicians without being out of tune. If someone were listening to the music he would not be able to tell the human performer from the robot.
Amazon has run an “order picking contest” to see if robots can “autonomously pick items off a shelf and into a bin.” The company has about 50,000 people working in its warehouses and wants to know if robots could perform the tasks of selecting items and transporting them to different points in the warehouse. During the competition, a robot from Berlin managed to successfully complete ten of the twelve assigned activities. To move items in the warehouse, the company already uses 15,000 robots and is expected to purchase more in the future.(9)
In the restaurant industry, companies are using technology to replace human staff in delivery tasks. Thus, some establishments use tablets that allow customers to place their orders directly to the kitchen without the need for a waiter. In others they can pay directly, eliminating the need for cashiers. Some even tell the chef how much of a certain ingredient they want in a dish, which saves costs.(10)
Other researchers are using a robot called Nao to help people deal with stress. In a pilot project called ” Stress Game “, Thi-Hai-Ha Dang and Adriana Tapus offer subjects a board game in which they have to collect as many objects as they can. During the test, the stress is altered by changing the degree of difficulty of the game and with noises every time a mistake is made. Participants are hooked up to a heart monitor so Nao can help them cope with stress. When the robot perceives an increase in the human’s stress levels, it gives advice aimed at reducing tension. Depending on the situation, you may respond in an empathetic, encouraging, or demanding manner. In this way, the “robot with personality » can provide dynamic responses to the subjects of the experiment and help them cope in stressful situations.(11)
computer algorithms
Some computer algorithms have already replaced human transactions. We see it in the stock markets, where high-frequency trading by machines has replaced human decision-making. People send buy and sell orders, and computers combine them in the blink of an eye, without human intervention. Machines can spot inefficiencies or differentials in markets on a very small scale and execute profitable trades.(12)
There are people who specialize in arbitrage trading, where algorithms see that the same stocks have different values in different markets. Humans are not very good at spotting price differentials, while computers can use complex mathematical formulas to determine where there are trade opportunities. There are very brilliant mathematicians in this type of analysis that have made it possible to earn large amounts of money.(13)
Artificial intelligence
The term “artificial intelligence ” refers to ” machines that respond to stimulation in a way that is consistent with traditional human responses, given the human capacity for contemplation, consideration, and purpose .” Incorporates reasoning and critical judgment into responses. Artificial intelligence, once considered a futuristic fantasy, is today a reality and has been incorporated into a wide variety of areas. It is used in finance, transportation, aviation and telecommunications. Expert systems “make decisions that typically require human levels of expertise .” These systems help people anticipate problems or deal with difficulties that may arise.
The application of artificial intelligence in many sectors is booming.(16) It is being used to replace humans in many fields. For example, it is used in space exploration, advanced manufacturing, transportation, energy development, and healthcare. By accessing the extraordinary processing power of computers, individuals can supplement their personal capabilities and improve productivity.
IMPACT ON THE ACTIVE POPULATION
The dizzying growth of new technologies suggests that they are having a substantial impact on the workforce. Many of the big tech companies have achieved economies of scale with a modest workforce. For example, Derek Thompson states that ” Google is worth $370 billion, but it only has about 55,000 employees, less than a tenth of AT&T’s workforce at its height [the 1960s] .” According to economist Andrew McAfee, ” the time when machines can replace humans in most jobs in today’s economy is already a possibility, and I don’t think it will happen too far in the future.”(18)
