Automation is greatly impacting employment in the United States and abroad. According to the readings, we are seeing automation impact how jobs are completed and the sheer numbers of jobs available in many regions of the country. One of the most publicized areas affected by this implementation of automation is the Rust Belt and jobs in manufacturing. While trade and outsourcing have also been seen as potential reasons that these areas are seeing a dip in numbers, a recent study has shown that up to 87% of the jobs lost in manufacturing are due to automation and computing taking over jobs previously manned by human beings. However, another recent study shows that the areas that may be most affected by automation in the long run are food preparation, office and administrative support, and sales. The regions of the country that could be most affected by this are Las Vegas, San Bernardino, El Paso, Orlando and Louisville.
In terms of the economic impact of this automation sweeping across the nation, there are both positives and negatives. In terms of positives, we will see more profitable companies as automation will be a one time charge and less expensive than manpower in the long run. As we have seen recently, companies have been giving out larger bonuses to their employees in the wake of tax breaks and increasing profit from automation. However, the negatives are obvious. More automation will lead to more unemployment in these areas since automation will make manpower previously holding these positions redundant. In terms of the political impact, we have already seen that. In the previous election, President Trump reached out to people in this area to try and swing states, especially those in the Rust Belt. President Trump reached out to these people to make sure they were not going to be forgotten and left behind, even though automation has been sweeping across the region.
With regards to whether or not I am comfortable with artificial intelligence performing more human tasks, I would say that I am, but only up to a certain point. While I do think that artificial intelligence can be used in certain situations, we need to draw a line and still have a need for humans to do work in the working place. In places like finance, home improvement, and driving, artificial intelligence can be and maybe should be used as it will make companies and processes more efficient. However, in the areas given, such as caregiving, creating artistic works, and making life or death decisions in the health industry, I believe that the “human touch” should be present. In my opinion, these are not places that this efficiency that automation and artificial intelligence offers are needed. In caregiving, especially with infants, the human touch that is given by having humans take care of infants is needed as they will learn from their caregivers. In creating artistic works, while artificial intelligence can learn how to do this, it will never be able to be creative and creativity is what is needed most in this field. And for making life or death decisions in the health industry, we will also need a human that has spent their entire life dedicated towards the health industry should be making this decision and not a piece of artificial intelligence coded up by someone who will not have that same experience.