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A32 FEATURE
Friday 8 March 2019

How to prevent the ‘robot apocalypse’ from ending labor as we know it

Thomas Kochan creatively, work well to-
Elisabeth Reynolds gether in teams and can
Associated Press adapt readily to near-con-
It seems not a day goes by stant change.
without the appearance of In other words, workers
another dire warning about need to be inculcated from
the future of work. Some an early age with more be-
alarmists fear a “robot havioral and analytic skills,
apocalypse,” while others such as teamwork, com-
foresee the day of “singu- munications and problem-
larity” coming when artifi- solving with data.
cial intelligence exceeds Even after people are in
human intelligence. Still the workforce, learning
others warn that income in- new skills and acquiring
equality will continue to rise new knowledge will con-
as owners of capital cap- tinue throughout their ca-
ture more of the benefits of reers. That means business-
innovations than those who es and universities will need
labor for a living. to form new partnerships
Yet there is also a counter- that ensure the workforce
trend emerging: Groups can continue to adapt.
as diverse as the World A new social contract
Economic Forum and the A XR-1 5G cloud robot by CloudMinds speaks with a visitor, during the Mobile World Congress A key way government
International Labor Orga- wireless show, in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. can contribute is by revis-
nization are beginning to Associated Press iting the legislative frame-
argue that it’s up to society burned factories, hoping cation, government and, leads to overinvestment work that supports labor.
to shape the future of work. to arrest their advance. of course, labor. And if, as and weak returns. The New Deal was a series
What’s needed is action to- The government eventually predicted, AI and robotics Just ask General Motors of programs, projects and
day to harness and chan- quashed the unrest, killing do transform nearly half of what it got for its nearly reforms that helped shift
nel technological chang- some workers and jailing jobs requiring new skill sets US$50 billion in robots in the U.S. from a primarily ag-
es, prepare the workforce many others. for workers, the current the 1980s in its futile effort ricultural to industrial econ-
for new demands and op- The new technologies that challenge may be greater to catch up with Toyota’s omy. It established collec-
portunities, strengthen their transformed the textile in- than ever, making it even more efficient production tive bargaining rights, cre-
voices and built a new so- dustry continued unabat- more important that we and labor relations systems. ated Social Security and
cial contract that includes ed. While many weavers create a vision and a path The answer is not much. unemployment insurance,
leaders in business, edu- lost their jobs, it created forward that everyone can Instead, GM eventually and set minimum wages
cation, labor and govern- new ones for mechanics support. learned from Toyota via a and labor standards.
ment. These are some of and other industrial workers Giving ‘wisdom to the ma- joint venture that the high- With the rise of the gig
the issues we’ll be discuss- and increased overall pro- chines’ est return on investments economy and the chang-
ing in an online course that ductivity. Let’s start with business came by integrating new ing nature of the employer-
draws on some of the best The important lesson from leaders since they buy and technology with new work employee relationship, a
experts in AI, robotics, eco- this episode is that the tran- implement most new tech- practices, which allowed new social contract is nec-
nomics and employment sition from an agricultural nologies. workers to help “give wis- essary to support workers
relations at MIT and around to an industrial economy The dominant business mo- dom to the machines.” in this new reality. Benefits
the world. Our main point occurred in the absence of tivation for introducing new The key lesson for business should be portable so work-
is that avoiding apocalyp- updated policies to govern technology is to reduce hu- is that it needs to engage ers can easily move from
tic outcomes requires bold the transition, which led to man labor and the costs workers in designing and job to job without losing
actions and a collabora- more pain for those who associated with it. Robots, deploying new technolo- health insurance and other
tive approach. were displaced than was or more broadly software, gies to get the greatest benefits now tied to a spe-
How to shape change necessary. don’t leave for another job, productivity gains. cific employer. Post-sec-
Virtually every technologi- So as today’s workers in go on strike or need bath- Learning for life ondary education needs to
cal revolution has inspired dozens of occupations room breaks – let alone a Lifelong learning is the new be more affordable. Labor
workers to fear for their face down the robot paycheck or benefits. buzz phrase when it comes law should make it easier
jobs. And for good reason. apocalypse, what’s need- But there is ample historical to discussions of work. so different kinds of work-
Each one resulted in the ed aren’t more battle cries and current evidence that Transforming this from rhet- ers, from professionals, to
creation of new jobs along- but concerted action by simply viewing technology oric to reality will require low wage workers, to inde-
side the elimination of oth- leaders in business, edu- as a labor cost saving tool fundamental changes in pendent contractors, can
ers. At the same time, new educational institutions all have their voices heard.
technologies changed the and teaching methods. And safety nets need
way work is done within It starts with the children strengthening to support
most occupations. in schools today who will those displaced or whose
But fighting technology- likely be most affected by career has been down-
inspired changes, as the the AI revolution in coming graded by all the seismic
Luddites of the early 19th decades. And while in the changes coming our way.
century did, rarely works past the focus was on the Workers need a seat
– and can in fact have di- STEM disciplines – science, As for labor leaders, they
sastrous consequences. technology, engineering need to make sure they’re
The Luddites, textile work- and math – industry leaders at the table with business,
ers and weavers who these days say they need education and govern-
feared the advent of au- tomorrow’s workforce to ment to ensure workers
tomated looms in England, A police robot is deployed along a retail street in Beijing, China, be filled with people who aren’t left behind by new
destroyed machines and Wednesday, March 6, 2019. can think analytically and technologies. q
Associated Press