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The Rise of Robotics in the Workforce

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The Rise of Robotics in the Workforce
Carlos Andres Aznaran
ITT Technical institute, San Bernardino
Mrs. Boyer
February 6, 2015

The Rise of Robotics in the Workforce Since the days of Isaac Asimov, there has been a lingering question that many find foolish, while others find more realistic than we know. Will robots take over the world? Since the invention of the personal computer, we have taken tremendous strides in technology. There are new technologies now in the workforce. It seems more plausible that soon our jobs can be a thing of the past. This essay will talk about: how artificial intelligence is used to perform basic computations, how robots are working side by side with humans, and the impact robots have on low wage jobs. The roots of artificial intelligence (AI) can be traced to the days of Aristotle. He described a method of mechanical logic known as syllogism. Syllogism is a logical argument that uses deductive reasoning to come at a conclusion based on two or more propositions that are assumed to be true (Noving, 2012). Scientists have been working on developing AI since the 1960s. The main issue that was raised was that there was no formulaic way of describing a computer as “intelligent”. There are many computers and programs that are smarter than most humans, but if their functions are to multiply large numbers, or keep track of thousands of bank account balances, then they are not referred to as intelligent. They are only referred to as correct (Noving, 2012). In his article, Martin Ford (2013) said, “It is important to realize technology does not have to cause immediate job destruction in order to create significant future unemployment.” Several low wage jobs are not immediately affected by robotics now. This is largely due to humans’ ability of hand eye coordination, flexibility, and dexterity among other capabilities. However, robots are becoming safer, less expensive, and more capable of doing those same jobs (Ford, 2013). It is looking that soon warehouse jobs, or even jobs like making and packaging food, which need very little levels of education, can and will be taken over by robots. This may seem to be more cost effective to a business, especially for their bottom line. However, this can be a disaster that can dramatically increase unemployment overtime. There have been many cases in which humans and robots have worked together. The advancement of technology has allowed robots to be equipped with facial recognition, and customized them for any work environment (Bourne, 2013). Many of the robots are advanced enough to not only learn but also teach. Robots are even capable of being more precise, and know exactly what to do, and how to do a specific function that the job requires. In this time, it seems likely that a human-robotic partnership can exist in the workplace. Metra Martech, a research and marketing consultancy, have reported that between eight to ten million jobs can be created as a result of robotics, while also stating that through the year twenty-twenty, many jobs can be lost to more intelligent computers (Nelson, 2013). In the short term we may lose perhaps millions of jobs to machines, and it seems that the payoff of that would not come through until much later. The more we rely on AI, and robots to perform more and more tasks for us, the greater the possibility is that we can see a sharp rise in the unemployment rate. That may be the near future, so while unemployment will increase as more jobs become automated. There is still a major opportunity for us to embrace and work alongside these new technologies. The use of robotics in the workplace is rising slowly but surely. While these technological advances are astronomical, they do pose a threat to jobs, and the overall unemployment crisis around the world. A report by Oxford University states that jobs from cab drivers to even lawyers can be subject to automation (Walsh, 2014). The American workforce already faces many challenges, from stagnant wages to outsourcing. Now some learning institutions are offering training on using robots for work (Walsh, 2014).
We can see a drastic shift in our society if there is a conversion from a human workforce to an automated one. Eventually we would be forced to accept this conversion, and new jobs will be available as a result. Since The Industrial Revolution, humanity has made tremendous progress and has had to adapt to changes in machinery and inventions that diminished certain industry employees by great numbers. The rise of AI and robotics in the workforce presents new challenges as well as new opportunities for human workers.

References
Bourne, D. (2013). My Boss the Robot. Scientific American, 308, 38-41.
Fletcher, S. (2013). Yes, Robots Are Coming for Our Jobs—Now What? Scientific
American. Retrieved from http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/yes-robots are-coming-for-our-jobs-now-what/ on Feb 6, 2015.
Ford, M. (2013). Could Artificial Intelligence Create an Unemployment Crisis? Communications of the ACM, 56(7), 37-39.
Nelson, R. (2013). Robots: will They Hire Us, or Fire Us? Evaluating Engineering, Retrieved from http://www.evaluationengineering.com/articles/201311/robots-will-they-hire-or fire-us.php on Feb 6, 2015.
Noving, P. (2012). Artificial Intelligence. New Scientist, 216(2889), i.
Walsh, D. (2014). Fear not the ‘bot? Crain’s Detroit Business, 30(17) Retrieved from http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20140427/NEWS/304279955/fear-not-the-bot-as robots-take-jobs-experts-ask-if-humans-will on Feb 6, 2015.

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