Man-Machine equilibrium

I am researching  how automation – robotics, AI, 3D printing, process bots, drones etc – is changing every job category and the results may end up in a book, several blogs. In just the beginning stages of my research, I already have twice as large audio digital files from interviews as I did for the entire SAP Nation 2.0 book.

It’s shaping up to be like my research for The New Technology Elite. That book looked at engineering efforts -  how products and services are becoming smarter with software, sensors, satellites.  When I started that project I knew for sure I would profile 10-15 industries like automobiles and medical devices which were already embedding tech in their products. In the end the book ended up cataloging over 75 industries!  In fact, I could not find a single sector which was not reshaping products and services with tech, and new design principles.

The same is likely going to be true for this book. I am finding all kinds of technologies reshaping the definition of “work” in accounting, advertising, farming, healthcare, logistics, manufacturing, R&D and just about every occupation.

Some initial findings

- Not much panic ( at least in first batch of interviews) about “robots killing jobs”. Western labor having seen global competition over the last couple of decades actually sees automation as making it more competitive. Even in emerging markets there is a recognition of needing to move labor up the value chain with technology.

- Labor business models are being reshaped just as rapidly. Lots of processes getting decomposed and being serviced by contractors and entrepreneurs, not just employees. The “gig economy” is full of careers, not just short term gigs.

- Financial interests of many companies/governments actually are more threatened by automation. Many are reluctant to break down the “pyramids” of staffing they have built their margins on.  Insurance premiums and city/county speeding ticket revenues will be threatened by autonomous vehicles. More than unions and labor groups, these interests may slow down adoption of automation technologies

-  As with most technologies the traditional hype cycle is a factor.  Many automation efforts fail to deliver on their initial promises but provide side benefits like easier on-boarding, scaling, other efficiencies.

- In many industries, the resistance to automation actually comes from customers. Not every one enjoys self-service check out, mobile banking etc. Most of the world’s drivers still prefer stick shifts – will they magically warm up to more tech in autonomous vehicles? Education should be moving to more of a MOOC model but most students still want the social aspect of a campus.

So plenty of policy, education,  business model considerations even as I look at technologies reshaping every profession. 

It’s turning into a fun project – I was afraid I would hear lots of doom and gloom about “jobless futures”. It’s much more about smarter, digital workers.