Tag Archives: robot/AI curve

The Robot Chronicles Times Two

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The robot chronicles. My fellow blogger, David Hunt, and I both find ourselves concerned about the proliferation of robots and the human jobs they are designed to take over. While the tech media applaud each new innovation, seemingly just for the sake of innovation, we find ourselves with questions, worries, even existential fears. After all, just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done.

Can and should are different things.

Origin of the Robot Chronicles: My fellow blogger, David Hunt, and I both find ourselves concerned about the proliferation of robots and the human jobs they are designed to take over.

The tech media applaud each new robotic innovation, seemingly just for the sake of innovation and accomplishment. Yet, David and I find ourselves with questions, worries, even existential fears. After all, just because something can be done doesn’t mean it should be done.

We have each written a series of blog posts about the oncoming robot army along with its potential impact on the human work force. You may have enjoyed some of these posts and you may have missed some. For easy reference, here’s a list of the Robot Chronicles that have been published on our two blogs.

Aline Kaplan’s Robot Chronicles

Regular readers know that I harbor concerns about the future of work, employment and the economy. Following are my eight  posts in chronological order to make it easier for readers to follow my thought processes. Most of these posts have also been published on LinkedIn.

  1. “The Robot Economy”
    Will the demand for robots last when employers realize that robots don’t buy anything?
  2. “The Future of Work”
    Will robots take over these endangered jobs? Can robots do everything or are humans needed for some things?
  3. “When Automation Drives Progress”
    Three examples of how automation drives progress and creates jobs. Will robot automation have the same effect?
  4. “The Robot Army Marches On”
    Here are five of the latest additions to the robot army. But does a market exist for them? Do they fill a real need?
  5. And we’ve seen other versions of it since, including Serge, the Graystones’ “butler” on the second round of Battlestar Galactica. I can accept the idea of a robot that controls all of a house’s systems and appliances—that’s just an extension of the Internet of things. But when it comes to emotional support, I’d rather have a dog.

    Serge the Butler

    “Robots Are the Fourth Wave”
    Automation follows computerization, outsourcing, and offshoring as a way to cut expenses. What impact will the Fourth Wave of innovation have on job security and the American economy?

  6. “Robots and the Post-Work Society”
    What would a fully automated post-work society look like? Would it resemble a Star Trek utopia or would it devolve into Elysium’s dystopia?
  7. “Cybernics, Robots and Caretakers”
    Robots now appear in industries and jobs where we would not have expected to see them. Does that take care of the good, the bad, or just the icky?
  8. “Robots and Creative Destruction”
    Will robots eventually take over jobs completely or just assist humans with the heavy work? 

David Hunt’s Robot Chronicles

Robot chronicles. Here is a list of David’s blog posts on the subject of robots and whether they will wreak havoc on the ability of human beings to be gainfully employed and to support their families.

The robot army

David Hunt, PE, is a senior-level Mechanical Engineer with experience across Design, Cost Reduction, Process Development, and the production floor for a variety of regulated industries.

His blog, “Mechanical Engineer on the Loose,” deals with several issues around work life, employment, hiring, and future trends. Because we deal with some of the same topics, we sometimes reference one another’s work.

Here is a list of David’s blog posts on the subject of robots and whether they will wreak havoc on the ability of human beings to find gainful employment and to support their families.

  • “Future Shock”
    What dangers lie ahead as we rush to automate more and more?
  • “The Threat of AI: The Slow Fade”
    While others discuss Terminators or other dangers of AI, I’d like to opine on a potential, and far more subtle, worry.
  • “The Robot/AI Curve Accelerates”
    The tidal wave of automation is almost upon us, and it’s not just First World jobs at stake.(Publishedon LinkedIn)
  • “The Soft Underbellies of our Tech Mania”
    We are racing to connect and integrate everything into one world-wide tapestry; but there are multiple ways to yank on the threads, and people eager to do so(Published on LinkedIn)

These posts of David’s deal not with robotics replacing people per se, but rather about the dangers of linking everything to everything.The Road to Skynet

These posts of David’s deal not with robotics replacing people per se, but rather about the dangers of linking everything to everything.

As developments in robotics continue, David and I will report on what we see and what we think. Stay tuned for more.