This blog
post is a reflection of Andrew McAfee’s speech regarding the evolution of
technology and how human labor is rapidly being replaced by computers, robots
etc.
Andrew is
showing the audience the impact that technology has on employment and have
quickly come to the conclusion that “yes, droids are taking our jobs”. But he
focuses more on the upside of this story, rather than the fact that humans are
being replaced.
I agree
with Andrews thoughts, while the computers are replacing us in many lines of
business; this simply says that we are freed up to focus on the next step in
human history. This is not the first time where this has happened. When the
engines first were developed, humans were able to focus on other areas, which
have led us to where we are now. By freeing ourselves of tasks that can now be
performed automatically by computers, we can focus on more research, perhaps in
the same area, and continue to develop the technology. Andrew himself talks
about this freeing us up to focus more on for instance poverty in the world,
which is a great idea and I’m sure that in some way it’s true, albeit maybe not
in the nearest future since we have only come so far with computers. In the
long run however, when computers will be able to run almost all aspects of our
business chain, we will have the ability to shift our focus elsewhere.
Development
means adapting. We need to adapt to the evolution of technology and shift our
focus to where the technology has not yet reached. When the day comes that this
is also being replaced by technology, we need to adapt again. This is a continuous
flow and we should already be accustomed to it.
