Page 18 - 2020 February E-issue

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I, Robot

by Andrè Godfrey

Will robots take over your job? More importantly, will thank you. But you tried it when you had one item and
robots take over my job? People have been telling me the line was long. Of course, the line is long because
for years I could be replaced by a machine and they theyve cut out cashiers but regardless you checked
could be right. On the other hand, first the machine yourself out. Ta Da!
may have to figure out exactly what it is that I do and
thats where I believe Im safe from the automatons. Actually A-tail happened to us back in the 1980s when
you started pumping your own gas. Thats right my
Some of you may believe that what I do is write this young friends, you were prohibited from pumping your
column but to regular readers, they must conclude the own gas up until 1981. When the law was changed
obvious, that there is never a great deal of thought (except in New Jersey), you were self-trained to
within the margins of this column and nothing to be pump gas. By the way, those attendants also checked
construed as actual work. Factually, you could give the your oil and tires if you asked and also cleaned your
robot the parameter of writing 600 words, occasionally windshield. How long did it take to train America to
punctuated with periods and commas and the value convert to self-service? As fast as they could build
would remain fairly the same. Or slightly improve. and install the pumps that took credit cards. I say all
this, not from nostalgia, but to remind us all of the sea-
Automation is predicted to take away 75 million change that awaits us all in the new economy.
jobs in the U.S. in the next 10 years. Whose jobs
are being replaced? Its pretty much open season I attended a preliminary workshop today on labor force
out there. You might think operating a 16 wheel creation. Well attended and well-intended. No doubt
heavy vehicle is something a human being has to the direction of the discussion in future meetings will
do but youd be wrong. Estimates from the American go where I believe it should go; to the next generation
Trucking Association suggest there are 3.5 million and what employment should look like for them. An
professional truck drivers in the United States and inevitable trend to the highly specialized, the highly
the industry, as a whole, employs more than 8.7 technical and the highly degreed. But I cant help but
million people. According to the Los Angeles Times, look back from this fast moving boat and wonder what
1.7 million American truckers could be replaced by we are leaving in our wake.
self-driving trucks over the next decade. I imagine
the next Terminator movie will be less violent. Arnold
Schwarzenegger may still be driving a truck the N Think about IT.
th
sequel but instead of running over young Connor, he
will be intent on making his UPS deliveries.

The retail market may be worse. We know that e-tail
came along (Amazon et al) with door-to-door shipping Andrè Godfrey is
and the e-commerce marketplace now represents over President,
15% of all consumer purchases. But you are currently
being trained for A-tail. You know it. Your favorite Entre Computer Services,
stores all have aisles for self-checkout. You were at
first leery, maybe you were angry and said to yourself www.entrecs.com
the least they could do is take my money and say

18 | The ROCHESTER ENGINEER FEBRUARY 2020 get IT done