By Chace Goff
No worries, everyone. Robots have not completely taken over
the world; yet.
A vey interesting article from the Economist entitled Robocolleague
tells us a little about Watson, an IBM supercomputer. Watson appeared on a 2011
episode of Jeopardy!, winning against
its human competitor. Since then Watson has only grown faster, sleeker, and
more efficient. Now, the amazing device is ready to be used commercially to
suggest treatments for cancer patients. This might seem a little scary to us
humans.
Watson, and other machines, robots, and technology alike
inflict a unique situation on the world. Speaking in basic economic terms, new
and more efficient technology shifts supply upward which ultimately increases
output, and more output means more jobs for people to produce that output. That
of course leads to a decrease in the unemployment rate, enhancing
the well being of the economy. However, if the new and more efficient
technology takes over the role of the human wouldn’t that decrease the amount
of jobs for us?
Software entrepreneur Martin Ford assures that although this
type of innovation can lead to the destruction of obsolete professions such as 3
million cashier jobs, opportunities will arise for those relocated.
Ford does seem to make sense, although technology replaces
humans in some ways, the technology cannot function without humans. Also there
will come times when the equipment will need to be cleaned up or fixed due to a
malfunction. Humans and machines will have to work together to finally produce
output and contribute to a country’s GDP. Another approach explained by David
Autor of MIT is splitting up production over a variety of tasks. But, it is
still difficult in the sense of weighing the comparative advantage of capital
doing one task and labor doing another.
Fortunately, we have seen this kind of change before in our
lifetimes. Think about the airport. When I was just a 5-year-old girl heading
to a Disney World vacation, everything was handled by human labor. Years later,
technology now deals with the simple tasks such as printing out boarding
passes, leaving humans to handle more complicated and social tasks like delayed
flights and checking itinerary. Doesn’t seem so scary after all, does it?
Going back to our friend Watson, it and other machines like
it can serve as both a substitute and a compliment. There are areas of a
doctor’s profession where technology such as Watson could take over. Then there
are instances where it would simply be a tool for the doctor to use and to be
more efficient. It is true that replacing nurses with robots would not
necessarily improve the quality of surgery, but the efficiency? Certainly.
The fact that these supercomputers can perform very
intricate tasks as well as routine ones, again, seems frightening.
Nevertheless, although these miraculous innovations in technologies will pose a
threat to multiple human jobs, overall it will increase productivity in many as
well. Autor assures, “just
because a skilled job can be automated does not mean it will be.”
Joan Starich :
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with your quote "although technology replaces humans in some ways, the technology cannot function without humans." It seems that even though robots are replacing more and more jobs, there are other jobs being created for humans in the computer field. Technology is an increasing career path, which is why I think humans need not worry of being completely replaced. I watched a documentary on Netflix on the human brain (I'm a nerd, I get it) and it included a bit on Watson and how Watson was created. It took a high skilled computer programer to put Watson together, and there was many trial and errors. Overall, the outcome was amazing - and in some aspects even better than the brain of a human! But as you said, I don't think we need to worry about robots taking over the world - they still need some mastermind human behind the scenes running it all.
Yes the robots create jobs and do the those jobs more efficient but they are taking more jobs away than they are creating it. Watson could take 20 different people's job but create only 10 to make sure that it is running properly. This just wouldn’t be worth it in the end why take the jobs away when humans are just fine.
ReplyDeleteChace, I loved your approach on your blog! It wasn't just basic money, graphs economics. It was interesting and appealing, because new technological advances could/will affect all of us as we grow older and have to enter into the "actual" work force. I really like how you added in the basic economic principals of supply when it comes to an increase/improvement in technology, those were great connections. Also, I liked how you added in the quote of the Ford guy who pointed out how society has seemingly dealt with hundreds of technologial changes over the decades, and we have seemed to cope. It's not like throughout my every day interactions with a machine or "robot" or some sort that I think, "wow, a human could have done this better". Clearly, if I'm not too focused on how the economy is currently doing because of advances in technology from years and years ago, we're doing okay and not feeling negative repercussions.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with your statement: "although technology replaces humans in some ways, the technology cannot function without humans."
ReplyDeleteRobots can do so many things now, from winning a game of jeopardy, to controlling our home security systems, Google is now perfecting a driver-less car, that drives using radar, and gps.
But one thing computers can't do, that humans can, is improve their hardware. Every year when the new version of the robot comes out, the previous one will become outdated, and need to be replaced. Think of a computer or a smart phone. After a few years go by, they seem to no longer work anymore. The first iphone, is now light years behind what the newest one is capable of.
Although it is a given that computers and robots will continue to steal more and more human jobs. I do not know how people will like a robot in charge of their life. In the form of a surgeon or a driver. Because of this, I think the jobs where someones life is on the line, the jobs will stay controlled by humans.
I agree with Anthony and your statement, Chace. Although robots may be more efficient than humans, without humans there would be no robots at all. It's weird to think how man made machines can potentially take our jobs in the future, and that jobs are currently being lost to machines. Machines don't have families to feed, and machines don't have bills to pay. People do, and that's why it's saddening to think of machines taking human jobs now, and more and more potentially in the future. This could affect the economy greatly because with a possibility of lost jobs to our robotic replacements, people will find less and less money to spend on goods in the economy, and more on just maintaining their necessities and daily lifestyle. Hopefully machines don't one day take all of our jobs, which would bring a huge negative affect on our economy and how people go about spending their cash. We'll see how things pan out in the future when it comes to balancing robot and human jobs hand in hand, but hopefully it works for the better, and not for worse.
ReplyDeleteChace, I loved your topic! Unlike most, you had a very interesting point and it definitely kept me reading. Its safe to say you definitely did not bore me with graphs and statistics. I completely agree with your quote "Although technology replaces humans in some ways, the technology cannot function without humans." To many, the new technological advances such as robots, are seen as an economic downfall for our economy. What many do not realize is that many jobs are opened rather than taken with all of the computer work and construction of this new, improved technology. Like Joanie mentioned, technology is an increasing career path in which humans do not need to be replaced. This way, we increase our economy with smarter more efficient technology than a human, but this substitute does not mean that we don't require the works of the human brain behind it all. Without the human, there would be no robots. Although the concept of robots replacing us is kind of scary, many have to see the big picture and benefits of the economic outcome that is in store for us all in the upcoming future. Hopefully this is a more beneficial opportunity for us than non beneficial for job opportunity and economic growth.
ReplyDeleteThe topic of this post was very appealing and I actually wanted to read it. The whole thing made me come to think and agree with Kyle P's whole point, why take jobs away from humans even though they could do the job more efficiently? That brings me to the counterpoint you made that "although technology replaces humans in some ways, the technology cannot function without humans." We are the creators of our own demise in a way if you think about it, why create something greater than us in certain ways and aspects? For efficiency? For evolution? Has it come to that we evolved from apes and such through the thousands of years and then us humans will be that same starting block for robots? This whole article just made me think. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
ReplyDeleteI think this post raises lots of valid points, and touches on a huge topic that we have to face in our world today. When I first started reading the article I got a sense of shock and a sort of fear. Can robots really out think us? even in human scenarios where logic takes center stage? I went an even looked up the episode on youtube and watched the whole thing...But back to the point. I think this really shows how much technology has advanced, having them best even our brightest of people. And as history has REPEATEDLY shown, technology and economic growth almost go hand in hand. The public has a demand for this new technology thus stimulating our economy. But consumer electronics are obviously not the only front on which this tech can be marketed. New technology opens so many doors for our economy and with it, we can only go up. I really liked this post.
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