<h2>Fighting The Tide</h2>
A <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/self-checkout-cashier-jobs-retail-automation-1.4937040">new story</a> by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation looks at a group of people who are fighting the future: shoppers who refuse to use self-checkout lines because they&#8217;re worried they&#8217;ll lead to job loss.
&#8220;They&#8217;re trying to basically herd everyone in, get everyone used to the self-checkouts to continuously cut down on staff,&#8221; said Dan Morris, one of the people the public broadcaster interviewed. &#8220;Machines don&#8217;t pay taxes, they don&#8217;t pay into the pension plan.&#8221;
<h2>Doing Lines</h2>
CBC&#8216;s reporting comes during a precipitous era for retail automation. Online sellers like Amazon have come to <a href="https://futurism.com/amazon-warehouse-robot-bear-repellent">dominate consumer commerce</a> over the past two decades, and some companies that have attained mastery in that space — including <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/amazon-go-cashier-free-store">Amazon</a> and <a href="https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/microsoft-checkout-less-store-amazon-go/">Walmart</a> — are now turning their attention back to the real world, where they&#8217;re working to use sensors and artificial intelligence to open stores that have no cashiers at all.
Whether that&#8217;s a future consumers want is a more complex question. CBC&#8216;s story about self-checkout abstainers was inspired by a <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/self-checkout-grocery-retail-survey-1.4926545">study from last week</a> that found that only 11 percent of Canadian shoppers use self-checkout regularly. And that&#8217;s without getting into theft from self-checkout systems, a topic the Atlantic <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/03/stealing-from-self-checkout/550940/">explored in depth</a> earlier this year.
<h2>Meme Left</h2>
The CBC pointed to a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TakeBackYourPowerHydroBillsUnplugged/photos/a.1232105470185482/1962145310514824/">Facebook meme</a> that&#8217;s racked up hundreds of thousands of shares with the admonition to &#8220;never use a self checkout&#8221; because they &#8220;kill jobs&#8221; — and, as Morris pointed out, they don&#8217;t contribute to payroll taxes.
It&#8217;s tough to argue with that logic, but <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/vital-signs/2015/jan/06/boycotts-shopping-protests-activists-consumers">history has shown</a> that many consumer boycott campaigns sputter. Perhaps the buyers avoiding self-checkout, more than seeking systemic change, are just trying to navigate an increasingly complex world of interconnected personal choices.
&#8220;Maybe the little bit we do makes no difference at all,&#8221; said Peggy Eburne, another shopper the CBC talked to. &#8220;But we like to stand by what we believe in.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/self-checkout-cashier-jobs-retail-automation-1.4937040">&#8216;They kill jobs&#8217;: Meet Canadians who refuse to use self-checkout</a> [Canadian Broadcasting Corporation]
More on jobs of the future: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/jobs-future-robots-automation">Here Are the Jobs of the Future That Robots Won&#8217;t Be Able to Fill</a>

Is it a meaningful act of protest, or are they fighting inevitable change?

People are refusing to use self-checkout because it'll "kill jobs"

Future Society

These shoppers are refusing to use self-checkout lines because they're worried they'll lead to job loss — and because machines don't pay taxes.

People Are Refusing to Use Self-Checkout Because It’ll “Kill Jobs”

"Machines don't pay taxes, they don't pay into the pension plan."

<h2>Relocation Costs</h2>
Bad news for workers in the American South and Great Plains: A robot could likely come for your job.
A newly released <a href="https://smartasset.com/checking-account/states-where-jobs-are-most-vulnerable-to-automation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> by fintech company Smart Asset found that those regions are the ones most likely to experience serious job losses due to automation. And, even more disheartening, they&#8217;re the ones that appear least prepared to take the hit.
<h2>Sad Math</h2>
Smart Asset based its finding on a combination of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Oxford University research studies. The company first figured out how many people in each state work in certain occupations. Then, it estimated the probability that an automated system could replace those occupations.
The results: It determined that the 10 states where workers are most vulnerable to robo-replacement are Nevada, South Dakota, Wyoming, Louisiana, Montana, South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Texas, and Alabama.
<h2>Kicked While Down</h2>
The jobs that employ a lot of people and that are at a high risk of automation, according to the report: retail salespeople, cashiers, fast food cooks and servers. Those all happen to be traditionally low-skill jobs, meaning those workers might have a particularly tough time finding a new job if a robot steals theirs.
As a double-whammy, the states identified in the Smart Asset study also happen to already have some of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/state-economy-ranking-q1-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worst economies</a> in the nation. If automation really does hit those states the hardest, the <a href="https://futurism.com/mckinsey-finds-automation-eradicate-third-americas-workforce-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener">unemployment rates could skyrocket</a>, making an already bad situation worse.
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.thisisinsider.com/robots-will-steal-human-jobs-in-these-states-smart-asset-2018-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 States Where Robots Are More Likely to Steal Human Jobs</a> [INSIDER]
More on automation: <a href="https://futurism.com/mckinsey-finds-automation-eradicate-third-americas-workforce-2030" target="_blank" rel="noopener">McKinsey Finds Automation Could Eradicate a Third of America’s Workforce by 2030</a>

Automation will hit some areas harder than others.

Here are the states where a robot is most likely to steal your job

Robo Replacements

A new study identifies the 10 U.S. states likely to lose the most jobs to automation, and many are already in precarious economic situations.

Here Are the States Where a Robot Is Most Likely to Steal Your Job

Robots are coming for jobs in the American South and Great Plains.

<a href="https://futurism.com/experts-basic-income-reach-mainstream-politics-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Universal Basic Income (UBI)</a> is a social concept in which every person within a system receive a regular, standard, basic income regardless of employment, background or other external factors. Some criticize UBI, saying that people would stop working with a basic income. However, <a href="https://www.inverse.com/article/41324-basic-income-alaska-permanent-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a recent study</a> demonstrated that people receiving UBI would likely keep their jobs and even take on more part-time work.
The study examines the impact of the <a href="https://futurism.com/mark-zuckerberg-the-u-s-should-learn-from-this-states-basic-income-program/">Alaska Permanent Fund</a>, a $61-billion communal resource backed by oil, which has been running for more than 35 years. It is currently the closest thing to a UBI in the U.S. Researchers at<a href="https://harris.uchicago.edu/news-events/news/universal-basic-income-policies-dont-cause-people-leave-workforce-study-finds" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy</a> analyzed the economic effect of the annual cash payments made to Alaskan residents, which have recently totaled around $2,000 per person.
The researchers found that not only did employment not decrease, but the number of people in part-time work actually increased by a significant 17 percent. And, while overall employment was reduced in fields like manufacturing and oil, it remained steady in fields like construction, education, and healthcare.
The researchers concluded in a working paper published in February in<a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w24312.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> the </a><a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w24312.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Bureau of Economic Research</a> that “Our results suggest that a universal and permanent cash transfer does not significantly decrease aggregate employment.&#8221; <figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/01/UBI-home_v1-900x600.png" alt="Universal Basic Income: UBI Pilot Programs Around the World" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
As <a href="https://futurism.com/its-time-to-shift-our-society-to-robotic-labor-and-a-basic-income/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">automation increasingly threatens human-held occupations</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/hillary-clinton-almost-ran-for-president-on-a-policy-backed-by-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">politicians </a>and <a href="https://futurism.com/another-silicon-valley-exec-joins-the-ranks-of-universal-basic-income-supporters/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">experts alike</a> are exploring how realistic a solution UBI could be to this job loss. Not all agree that UBI is the right fix for automation-linked job loss, but this research<a href="https://futurism.com/largest-basic-income-experiment-history-launched-kenya/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> could spark further investigation</a> to see if it could be a good fit for the U.S.
Once it is further reviewed, this data could potentially convince those on the fence that UBI is, at the very least, worth investigating with small, U.S.-based trials. It at least opens up the discussion by suggesting that, even when people receive supplemental income from the government, their drive to work doesn&#8217;t simply dissipate. Instead, the fact that people have more money to spend could actually create jobs.
However, Alaska&#8217;s program is not a perfect representation of UBI. $2,000 a year couldn&#8217;t be viewed as an income replacement, even a part-time income replacement. So, while this study demonstrates that employment trends might not be what some projected, it is difficult to know exactly what to expect because larger payments might cause people to respond differently.

“Our results suggest that a universal and permanent cash transfer does not significantly decrease aggregate employment."

Study finds people given basic income are likely to keep working

A new examination of the Alaska Permanent Fund's 35 year-long economic impact shows that the universal payments actually increased part-time work.

Study Finds People Given Basic Income Are Likely to Keep Working

In fact, part-time work actually increased by 17 percent. 

<h2>Looking to 2020</h2>
Andrew Yang is a former tech executive from New York with his <a href="https://www.yang2020.com/">sights set on the White House</a>. While Yang may be a bit of a long-shot as a presidential candidate, his unique platform certainly sets him apart. That platform? Automation and the devastating effects that advancing technology could have on our jobs and our lives.
So, what does a man who&#8217;s focused on the potential of a robot apocalypse want to initiate for America? Yang&#8217;s full platform is still developing, but he is pushing for what he calls a &#8220;Freedom Dividend.&#8221; This would be a form of <a href="https://futurism.com/experts-basic-income-reach-mainstream-politics-2018/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">universal basic income (UBI)</a> that would provide a monthly stipend of $1,000 for all Americans between the ages of 18 and 64.
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Yang thinks that this could be an effective buffer for automation-linked job loss. He is especially concerned with job loss as it pertains to self-driving vehicles. &#8220;All you need is self-driving cars to destabilize society,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/10/technology/his-2020-campaign-message-the-robots-are-coming.html?mtrref=futurism.com">told the </a><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/10/technology/his-2020-campaign-message-the-robots-are-coming.html?mtrref=futurism.com">New York Times</a>. &#8220;We&#8217;re going to have a million truck drivers out of work who are 94 percent male, with an average level of education of high school or one year of college.&#8221;
<h2>Robot-Focused Presidential Candidate</h2>
Andrew Yang is not the only tech-focused candidate pushing the envelope.<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/jun/16/transhumanist-party-immortality-zoltan-istvan-presidential-campaign" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Zoltan Istvan, the leader of the Transhumanist party</a>, was a 2016 presidential candidate and is now a <a href="http://www.newsweek.com/zoltan-istvan-california-governor-libertarian-555088">California gubernatorial candidate</a> who thinks that we should put science, health, and technology at the forefront of politics. His ultimate goal (or, rather, hope) is to allow humans to live forever. <figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/things-to-come-a-timeline-of-future-technology-infographic/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/12/Homepage-Thumbnail-3-5.jpg" alt="Things to Come: A Timeline of Future Technology [INFOGRAPHIC]" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/things-to-come-a-timeline-of-future-technology-infographic/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
However, Yang&#8217;s platform is quite different from Istvan&#8217;s. While he is science and tech-focused, Yang is more fixated on <a href="https://futurism.com/videos/this-week-science-universal-basic-income-tested-india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">building infrastructure to support</a> a society whose advanced technology makes a great percentage of human jobs obsolete. This reality that Yang is planning for sounds futuristic, but it&#8217;s already begun, with <a href="https://futurism.com/videos/amazon-go-worlds-advanced-shopping-experience/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cashier-less stores</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/silent-tesla-semi-prototype/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">driverless trucks</a>, and much more already integrating into our lives.
Some are concerned that Yang&#8217;s ideas involving basic income as a solution for job loss are too liberal to be embraced by conservatives. But Yang, a proud supporter of capitalism, believes that <a href="https://futurism.com/experts-universal-basic-income-boost-us-economy-staggering-2-5-trillion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">basic income is a necessity if capitalism is to continue</a> in our advancing world. He thinks that this business-driven model could appeal to the left as well as the right, and ease us into the future.

He thinks his platform will appeal to voters on both the left and right.

Meet the long-shot 2020 presidential candidate who might make UBI a reality

Presidential candidate Andrew Yang wants to build the infrastructure for the automated society we're already beginning to create.

Meet the Long-Shot 2020 Presidential Candidate Who Might Make UBI a Reality

Who is Andrew Yang?

If you work in an ad agency, <a href="https://futurism.com/an-ad-agency-now-has-the-worlds-first-ai-creative-director/">a robot is probably going to take your job</a>. If you drive a taxi, or work for a ride-hailing service like Uber, <a href="https://futurism.com/new-york-taxi-drivers-call-for-a-50-year-ban/">a robot is definitely going to take your job</a> — and will probably do so in the next couple of years. If robot autonomy doesn&#8217;t take your job (but just an FYI, it probably will) <a href="https://futurism.com/robots-are-not-only-replacing-workers-theyre-also-lowering-the-wages-of-those-with-jobs/">you are going to get paid less because of a robot</a>.
We hear these facts on a near constant basis. New reports continually add to the list of the soon-jobless, saying that automation is going to steal <a href="https://futurism.com/have-parking-tickets-this-robot-lawyer-can-come-to-your-rescue/">work from lawyers</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/the-future-of-writing-chinas-ai-reporter-published-450-articles-during-rio-olympics/">from writers</a>, and even from the <a href="https://futurism.com/80-of-it-jobs-can-be-replaced-by-automation-and-its-exciting/">information technology experts</a> developing and installing computer systems today. Estimates say <a href="https://futurism.com/mckinsey-finds-automation-eradicate-third-americas-workforce-2030/">up to a third of the workforce</a> could become automated just over the next decade.
So, just how much do you have to worry?
To find out, Futurism&#8217;s Alex Klokus spoke at the <a href="https://www.worldgovernmentsummit.org/">World Government Summit</a> with <a href="https://www.csail.mit.edu/person/daniela-rus">Daniela Rus</a>, the Director of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) at MIT, about automation and the world that AIs are already creating.
Rus attended the Dubai summit to speak about the next great revolution: the autonomous revolution. Just as the agricultural, industrial, and cyber revolutions led to fundamental shifts in how we live and work, so is the age of autonomy reshaping the very fabric of our society.
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/will-automation-steal-my-job/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2015/09/automation_home.png" alt="Will Automation Steal My Job?" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/will-automation-steal-my-job/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
Soon, Rus says, AI will be woven into every aspect of our existence. Yet she does not see this future as one of despondency and despair. Far from the economic upheaval and mass job loss portended by some, Rus envisions a future in which humans benefit from the fruits of AI labor.
When the topic of AI comes up, Rus noted that people frequently jump to the downsides: &#8220;Some people get very anxious and start asking about Skynet and when robots will start taking over their jobs. Well, I believe that everyone stands to benefit from AI,&#8221; Rus proclaimed.
When asked how she thinks governments can ensure that AI advances do, in fact, benefit humans, Rus stated that such guarantees will require grandiose shifts in how we think about education. Currently, Rus explained, we think that education has an end point, a point at which it doesn&#8217;t make sense to go any further. This needs to change.
&#8220;In the future, we will have a very parallel approach to working and learning,&#8221; Rus said. &#8220;We study, and study, and study, and then we say, &#8216;okay you learned enough, you can start working now.&#8217; In the future, we will have to blend studying and working.&#8221;
This parallel approach is something that, Rus believes, governments and companies will need to figure out soon. Will companies be responsible for constantly training and retraining their workers so that they can keep pace with new facets of their work? Or will governments be responsible for this lifelong learning?
At the present juncture, there are no clear answers. This work hasn&#8217;t yet been carried out— or really even begun.
<h2>A Better Way of Seeing</h2>
As the world works to prepare itself for the age of automation, Rus says it must also prepare its citizens to have a different outlook on developments in AI and autonomy. Instead of jumping to killer robots and job loss, we need to provide alternative ways of thinking that allow people to understand the benefits of AI.
One such benefit can already be seen in the autonomous driving industry. <a href="https://futurism.com/gm-expert-calls-elon-musk-full-of-crap-for-saying-teslas-can-achieve-level-5-autonomy/">Though level 5 autonomy is not quite here yet</a>, and autonomous cars are not yet ready for public roads, Rus pointed out that driverless cars are already capable of driving people around places that have less congestion and hazards, such as parks and retirement homes. To whit, in her presentation Rus showed a short video of a golf cart-like car picking up an elderly passenger and driving her from her retirement home to meet her friend for lunch on the boardwalk nearby. This, Rus notes, is an example of a benefit of AI, and of how autonomous features can restore freedom and mobility to those who are confined to their apartments and houses.
&#8220;Notice that this car does not have a driver, but we should not see this is displacing work because this is a service that does not exist,&#8221; Rus said optimistically. (This incited a quiet laugh from <a href="https://futurism.com/videos/nick-bostrom-what-happens-when-our-computers-get-smarter-than-we-are/">philosopher Nick Bostrom</a>, beside me, at her vision of a world where autonomous cars don&#8217;t replace human drivers.)
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Rus also noted in her talk that health and medicine AI systems make a number of errors when analyzing medical images for signs of cancer — in 7.5 percent of cases, to be exact. Humans? They hovered around 3.5 percent. Yet together, humans working with AI machine systems lowered the error rate to just 0.5 percent. &#8220;Doctors will be able to offer the most advanced treatments by working in tandem with machines,&#8221; Rus said. She continued by noting that this is just one example which proves that AI will not replace human workers, but augment the work that they do. Some in the audience looked skeptical.
Rus reinforced her argument by noting that, when talking about job loss, lawyers are often right at the top of the list. However, she asserts these stories are hype and highly exaggerated. &#8220;Natural language systems can read entire libraries of books and provide information at just the right time, right when it is needed,&#8221; she said. &#8220;This doesn&#8217;t mean that machines are becoming lawyers. Machines are just changing the work that lawyers do.&#8221;
There is some truth to these claims. Take, for example, the <a href="https://futurism.com/an-ai-law-firm-wants-to-automate-the-entire-legal-world/">legal technology company LawGeex</a>, which created an AI algorithm that automatically reviews contracts. Automating such processes that are little more than paper-pushing has saved law firms a lot of money; however, the true advantage of these autonomous systems is saving attorneys&#8217; time. Indeed, as one participant noted in an earlier round table talk on AI, &#8220;No one went to law school to cut and paste parts of a regulatory document.&#8221;
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/05/Universal-Basic-Income-A-Beginners-Guide_home_v1.jpg" alt="Universal Basic Income: The Answer to Automation?" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
Overall, Rus says, she has two concerns: &#8220;One is about the quality of the job, and the other is about wages,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I am not concerned about whether we will have enough jobs, I am concerned about whether we will have enough good jobs.&#8221; For example, Rus described how GPS made it possible to become a taxi driver without knowing the maps and road systems. This lowered the entry point for work, but it also lowered wages.
In truth, the concerns don&#8217;t end there. Initially, robots will augment our work; yet if autonomous systems continue to progress, becoming faster and smarter, what is the guarantee that humans will truly have a place? Of course, there is none. Yet our social, political, and economic systems can evolve. And so can we.
Machines have the power to support us or to hurt humanity; it is up to us to decide how we interact with them, how we govern them, and how we set the rules for machines — as well as the necessary legislation to govern humanity — to ensure that all of these advances are for the greater good.

As AI becomes more developed, humans will have to change to keep up.

Jobs are going extinct. But that doesn't mean we have to.

Artificial Intelligence

The agricultural and industrial revolution led to fundamental shifts in how we live and work. The age of autonomy is already doing the same.

Jobs Are Going Extinct. But That Doesn't Mean We Have To.

So, where do we fit in? 

Jobs Are Going Extinct. But That Doesn’t Mean We Have To.

<h2>Responding to Displacement</h2>
Americans are concerned about how growing automation will affect their jobs. There seems to be no limit to what tasks sophisticated robots can perform equal to or better than us, yet experts and the public alike disagree on how to respond to this displacement. In a 2018 Gallup and Northeastern University poll, <a href="http://news.gallup.com/reports/226475/gallup-northeastern-university-artificial-intelligence-report-2018.aspx#aspnetForm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">48 percent of Americans agreed</a> that a universal income program is a positive solution.
<a href="http://basicincome.org/basic-income/history/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Universal Basic Income (UBI)</a> is a concept in which all citizens receive a set income, no matter their occupation, financial history, housing, demographics, or any other qualifier. It is a concept that has been lauded by people like <a href="https://futurism.com/richard-branson-universal-basic-income-will-protect-us-from-the-threat-of-ai/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Richard Branson</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-automation-will-force-governments-to-introduce-universal-basic-income/">Elon Musk</a>, <a href="https://futurism.com/4-bill-gates-thinks-countries-arent-ready-for-basic-income-yet/">Bill Gates</a>, and<a href="https://futurism.com/mark-zuckerberg-just-voiced-his-support-for-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Mark Zuckerberg </a>and <a href="https://futurism.com/joe-biden-just-chose-a-side-in-the-universal-basic-income-debate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">criticized by people like Joe Biden</a>. The hotly debated concept may seem far-fetched, but <a href="https://futurism.com/new-trial-scotland-bring-universal-basic-income-life/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scotland is already trialing a program</a> to test it.
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Does this poll mean that Americans are on board? Well, not exactly. While just below half are in favor, the majority disagreed about the use of UBI. More so, while an overwhelming 65 percent of Democrats support the concept of a universal income, only 28 percent of Republicans do, according to this poll.
In fact, according to the poll, 81 percent of those who identify as &#8220;very liberal&#8221; voiced support for UBI while only 27 percent of those who identify as &#8220;very conservative&#8221; said the same. If any type of universal income system is considered in the U.S., will it further divide the country&#8217;s parties?
<h2>Finding Solutions</h2>
Beyond the disparity in agreement over whether to implement a UBI, not everyone agrees on how we might pay for such a program. Only 45 percent of those polled would be willing to pay higher taxes to fund such a program. Interestingly enough, however, 80 percent of those who are in favor of a universal income also expect that business who benefit from artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous technologies should pay for it. <figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/will-automation-steal-my-job/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2015/09/automation_home.png" alt="Will Automation Steal My Job?" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/will-automation-steal-my-job/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
This line of thinking <a href="https://futurism.com/bill-gates-says-job-stealing-robots-need-to-pay-taxes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">aligns with the concept of a &#8220;robot tax,&#8221;</a> something that Bill Gates overwhelmingly supports. The thinking behind this is that, because a human worker pays taxes, automation could lead to both job loss and a severe blow to government finances.
Because the workers they are replacing would pay taxes, this idea argues that <a href="https://futurism.com/videos/robot-taxes-would-support-the-workers-they-displace/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">it would only be right if taxes were paid</a> on behalf of the robot — by the company that built it. There are those who say that this de-incentivizes innovation, but others agree that it could be a feasible solution to the cost of such a program.
Technology will unquestionably continue to advance, and innovation continue to streamline our lives, improve medical care, and push forward progress across fields and occupations. Among those polled by Gallup either, 76% either agreed or strongly agreed that AI will &#8220;fundamentally change the way people work and live in the next ten years.&#8221; Presently, 77% are &#8220;mostly positive&#8221; or &#8220;very positive&#8221; about AI&#8217;s impact, yet it&#8217;s clear that automation will lead to job losses at rates we have never experienced before. While not everyone agrees on the prospect of UBI, solutions must be found.

Most Americans expect AI and automation will dramatically change how we work.

Half of Americans want universal income, but expect AI companies to pay it

A Gallup poll finds that just around half of Americans are in favor of a universal income, but most believe companies that benefit from AI should pay it.

Half of Americans Want Universal Income, but Expect AI Companies to Pay It

And a huge percentage of them could be on board for a robot tax. 

<h2>Universal Basic Infrastructure</h2>
<a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Universal Basic Income (UBI)</a> isn&#8217;t an entirely new concept, but recently experts have suggested that <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/uk-citizens-universal-basic-infrastructure-healthcare-education-commission-industrial-strategy-a8031456.html">implementing UBI into a national strategy</a> that some are calling &#8220;Universal Basic Infrastructure&#8221; might be a positive step towards diminishing poverty and supporting progress.
UBI is, in short, a system in which everyone — regardless of employment status, background, financial status, or any other factor — is given a basic salary. With rising concerns about automation-linked job loss and the serious income reductions that many might face because of it, UBI seems to be becoming a more viable option.
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But now, the Industrial Strategy Commission, &#8220;an independent, authoritative inquiry into the development of a new, long-term industrial strategy for the U.K.&#8221; <a href="http://industrialstrategycommission.org.uk/about/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according to their website</a>, is arguing that everyone should be entitled not only to UBI, but also to &#8220;Universal Basic Infrastructure.&#8221;
Aside from simply a universal income, the commission asserts that all should have free access to services like high-quality healthcare and education. The commission goes even further to argue that the state has a duty to use its financial power to create new markets and push forward progress and innovation in both healthcare and technology. These efforts should, according to the commission, be focused on fighting climate change.
<h2>A Universal Responsibility</h2>
The report concisely states that, “Achieving better outcomes for people’s wellbeing must be placed at the center of the strategy.&#8221; This report isn&#8217;t just a declaration that states need to better support their citizens — it is a call-to-action. The commission makes specific recommendations for designing such a strategy.
The commission recommends that states invest more in health and social care. They argue that these investments would have the ability to drive innovation and improve average skill levels throughout a population. They also suggest that more power be distributed to smaller, local governments to combat “extreme” centralization, such as is seen in the U.K.
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/05/Universal-Basic-Income-A-Beginners-Guide_home_v1.jpg" alt="Universal Basic Income: The Answer to Automation?" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
The report goes on to give more specific examples for how government and financial systems can be reorganized and restructured to eventually build an infrastructure that is both more comprehensive and more conducive to current society.
Life, as we have known it for the past few decades, is <a href="https://futurism.com/videos/could-ubi-keep-society-from-becoming-a-total-work-dystopia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">changing rapidly</a>. Artificially intelligent systems are increasingly being integrated into technologies that have the capability to replace human-held jobs. If states and governments ignore this changing landscape, many individuals will suffer.
This commission has realized that a UBI might be a piece of the puzzle, but a Universal Basic Infrastructure needs to be implemented if governments truly expect their societies to grow. There is only one direction we can go, and that is forward. Supporting individuals&#8217; health and well-being is a key part of supporting innovation and the future.

Free healthcare and education could drive innovation.

Experts assert all are entitled to "universal basic infrastructure"

An independent commission in the U.K. has stated that a Universal Basic Infrastructure could help states to truly progress.

Experts Assert All Are Entitled to "Universal Basic Infrastructure"

A universal basic income may only be part of the solution to automation.

Experts Assert All Are Entitled to “Universal Basic Infrastructure”

<h2>No Need To Panic</h2>
You&#8217;ve probably heard that a robot is going to take your job. It&#8217;s an oft-repeated refrain, heralded in <a href="http://time.com/4742543/robots-jobs-machines-work/">article headlines</a> and speeches from luminaries such as <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-automation-will-force-governments-to-introduce-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elon Musk</a> and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stephen-hawking-ai-automation-middle-class-jobs-most-dangerous-moment-humanity-2016-12" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephen Hawking</a>. Some experts predict that anywhere from 38 to 57 percent of jobs could be automated in the next few decades, <a href="https://futurism.com/a-timeline-to-unemployment-when-will-robots-really-replace-workers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">depending on who you ask</a>, and the jobs aren&#8217;t limited to any one industry. Automation threatens to eliminate or limit jobs such as waitstaff, truck drivers, factory workers, accountants, cashiers, and retail employees, according to a recent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNhBfvOQ_RY&amp;feature=youtu.be" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report from PBS</a>.
But to other experts, these apocalyptic predictions are overblown. Even worse — they fear that the warnings themselves could slow the progress of innovation, leaving society worse off.
Two economists from the <a href="https://itif.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF)</a> decided to clear up the debate once and for all. In May, <a href="https://itif.org/person/robert-d-atkinson" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robert Atkinson</a> and <a href="https://itif.org/person/John-Wu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Wu</a> published a report titled &#8220;<a href="https://itif.org/publications/2017/05/08/false-alarmism-technological-disruption-and-us-labor-market-1850-2015" target="_blank" rel="noopener">False Alarmism: Technological Disruption and the U.S. Labor Market, 1850–2015.</a>&#8221; By analyzing data about occupational trends from the United States Census over the past 165 years, the duo concluded that those dark predictions of future employment are based on faulty logic and incorrect analyses.
For their report, the researchers focused on identifying increases or decreases in occupations that could be attributed to technological innovations. For example, the significant increase in the number of automobile repair workers following the production of the Model T and the decrease in the number of household workers following the invention of the washing machine were both identified as examples of technology-caused change. The researchers do admit in the paper that this method of determining whether technology affected the growth or decline of an occupation was &#8220;clearly a judgement call and subject to errors.&#8221;
Based on this methodology, Atkinson and Wu reached three primary conclusions. One: that the total number of jobs has changed very little over the past 20 years. Two: Growth in existing industries has made up for jobs lost to automation (example: a factory replaced workers with machines on the production side, but invested the money it saved into new jobs in sales and marketing). Three: Between 2010 to 2015, the U.S. lost the fewest jobs to automation.
Several experts were on board with the researchers&#8217; report. Tech strategist Simon Wardley hailed the report as &#8220;<a href="https://twitter.com/swardley/status/871756944712892419" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a fascinating read</a>&#8220;; economics and business journalist <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/will-robots-steal-all-our-jobs/2017/05/10/0a567a66-35a0-11e7-b412-62beef8121f7_story.html?utm_term=.36fc6c6ec818" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robert J. Samuelson praised the report</a> for reminding readers that, in the past, entire occupations have been wiped out, and society hasn&#8217;t drowned in unemployment.
<img class="size-infographicListing wp-image-107182 aligncenter" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/06/occupational-change@2x-1-600x651.png" alt="" width="600" height="651" />
History, others agree, is a pretty good reason to be skeptical that technology will lead to widespread job loss.
&#8220;The fact is that there are waves of historical change in technology; they come, they go, there is nothing inevitable about them,” Robert Friedel, professor of the history of technology and science at the University of Maryland, said in an <a href="https://www.meritalk.com/articles/robots-are-not-going-to-steal-our-jobs-experts-say/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview with MeriTalk</a>, a website geared towards government IT experts. &#8220;We have absolutely no reason, I would argue, to suggest that that pattern is somehow permanently broken.”
<h2>A Bad Attitude</h2>
There are real consequences to believing those ominous predictions, Atkinson and Wu note. In fact, these warnings of technological disruption could ultimately be as detrimental as a robot takeover itself.
In their report, the researchers assert that the public could become wary of technology if they hear individuals they respect say that robots are coming for their jobs. This could cause technological progress to grind to a halt. Humanity would accept stagnation over innovation.
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This anti-tech attitude is far from new — from 1811 to 1813, <a href="http://www.history.com/news/ask-history/who-were-the-luddites" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Luddites</a> destroyed machines in England to protest textile automation. In 1830, British agriculture workers <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/familyhistory/bloodlines/workinglife.shtml?entry=swing_riots&amp;theme=workinglife" target="_blank" rel="noopener">attacked the threshing machines</a> that were rendering them expendable.
It&#8217;s hard to ignore the echoes today. In 2014, Parisian taxi drivers <a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/3024799/pissed-off-taxi-drivers-attack-uber-riders-in-paris" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slashed the tires of Uber drivers </a>in an attempt to gut their tech-enabled competition. Some governments have <a href="https://futurism.com/italy-has-banned-uber-from-all-its-streets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banned ride-share apps</a> altogether for fear that taxi drivers will be left in the lurch, and others are already putting forth legislation to <a href="https://futurism.com/new-york-taxi-drivers-call-for-a-50-year-ban/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prohibit self-driving cars</a> for fear they will cause more drivers to lose their jobs.
In the summary of their report, Atkinson and Wu urge policymakers to encourage technological innovation and push back against any organizations or workers that seek to stymie it. On that front, most thought leaders seem to agree. &#8220;If we slow down progress in deference to unfounded concerns, we stand in the way of real gains,&#8221; Mark Zuckerberg wrote in <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/10/obama-six-tech-challenges/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">an op-ed for Wired</a>; <a href="https://qz.com/911968/bill-gates-the-robot-that-takes-your-job-should-pay-taxes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bill Gates told Quartz</a> that society could miss out on technology&#8217;s positive impact if fear trumps enthusiasm and inhibits innovation.
Regulators and industry leaders, then, should tread a delicate line. They should support technological advance and help society adopt it. But they would be foolish not to prepare for the possibility that automation could supplant millions of workers.
<h2>Preparedness Starts At The Top</h2>
Government leaders have to spearhead this preparation, Atkinson and Wu note in their report. If automation does profoundly disrupt the workforce, legislators will need to consider which policies will best mitigate this disruption. Bill Gates has suggested <a href="https://futurism.com/san-francisco-might-soon-tax-robots-but-who-does-it-benefit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">taxes on robots</a>; Alan Barber, director of domestic policy at the <a href="http://www.cepr.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Center for Economic and Policy Research</a>, thinks <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/pundits-blog/economy-budget/347517-work-sharing-is-a-win-win-situation-for-employers-and" target="_blank" rel="noopener">work-sharing initiatives</a> could help. Gerlind Wisskirchen, vice chair of the <a href="https://www.ibanet.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Bar Association&#8217;s</a> global employment institute, has suggested &#8220;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/apr/04/innovation-in-ai-could-see-governments-introduce-human-quotas-study-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">human quotas</a>&#8221; that would prevent automation of certain jobs, such as daycare workers.
Governments can also bolster educational programs designed to train workers for the jobs that will most likely exist in the coming decades. In <a href="https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/documents/Artificial-Intelligence-Automation-Economy.PDF">a 2016 report</a>, the President’s Council of Economic Advisers under the Obama administration suggested that fostering the skills workers need to get jobs is the best way to prevent technology-caused unemployment. To that end, the report suggests emphasizing STEM education programs in elementary and high schools, offering two years of community college education free of charge for hard-working students, and dramatically increasing funding for job training. Expanding the number of training programs available to U.S. citizens could fill as many as 1 million jobs by 2020, David Kenny, IBM&#8217;s senior vice president for Watson, wrote in <a href="https://www.wired.com/2017/04/bill-gates-wrong-solution-ai-taking-jobs-training-not-taxes/">an op-ed published in Wired </a>earlier this year.
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<a href="https://futurism.com/heres-what-the-most-successful-people-in-the-world-think-about-ubi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Universal basic income</a> (UBI), arguably a <a href="http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Why-universal-basic-income-is-gaining-support-11290211.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fringe concept</a> in the U.S. for much of the last century, has also gotten a lot more attention in recent years. If automated systems replace a significant portion of the world&#8217;s workforce, those people wouldn&#8217;t be able to support themselves or their families under the current economic structure. Proponents say UBI could not only provide those newly unemployed citizens with the means to survive, but it could even <a href="https://futurism.com/new-report-claims-ubi-would-grow-the-u-s-economy-by-2-5-trillion/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">benefit the economy</a> as a whole, according to researchers at the <a href="http://rooseveltinstitute.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Roosevelt Institute</a>. The governments of <a href="https://futurism.com/canada-has-unveiled-the-details-of-its-highly-anticipated-ubi-program/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Canada</a> and <a href="https://futurism.com/what-we-can-learn-from-finlands-basic-income-experiment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Finland</a> have already begun UBI pilot programs, while tech incubator Y Combinator plans to run a trial in two yet-unnamed parts of <a href="https://futurism.com/people-in-two-u-s-states-will-get-1000-a-month-in-a-new-basic-income-trial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the United States</a>.
History doesn&#8217;t dictate the future, of course — just because technology hasn&#8217;t disrupted the workforce doesn&#8217;t mean it won&#8217;t. And though we can&#8217;t predict exactly how technology will affect the workforce in the future, we can start getting the right policies and attitudes in place to be ready when, or if, the changes do happen.

Experts are divided on the topic of technological unemployment.

Is technology really going to destroy more jobs than ever before?

Multiple exposure of robot spray painting automotive parts in spray paint factory, close up

Will automation eliminate jobs or create them? Experts can't agree.

Is Technology Really Going to Destroy More Jobs Than Ever Before?

Robots may — or may not — be coming for your job.

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell on YouTube just released a new video that explores the age of automation and how, while automation has changed society before, things are different this time. Before, as <a href="https://futurism.com/i-dont-think-we-can-stop-it-the-future-of-automation-and-job-loss/">automation modified industries like agriculture</a>, jobs were lost. However, with this job loss came job creation, as machines needed to be repaired. This actually was an overall positive movement, as the new jobs which replaced the old ones were typically &#8220;better&#8221; in terms of pay and working conditions.
One of the main differences between that shift and the one that we are currently in is the lack of job creation. While the internet led to the creation and development of new industries and jobs, it simply hasn&#8217;t been enough to keep up with growing populations and the demand created by automation-driven job loss. Industries and jobs of the information age simply need fewer people to make them work.
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But we are beyond that now. While the information age couldn&#8217;t support the need for new jobs, the age of <a href="https://futurism.com/robots-are-not-only-replacing-workers-theyre-also-lowering-the-wages-of-those-with-jobs/">automation will pose even more issues</a> and difficulties. As populations continue to grow and job creation continues on a downward trend, what will we do? The video above explores both the grim and positive possibilities that the <a href="https://futurism.com/nation-expected-to-lose-30-of-jobs-to-automation-in-15-years/">age of automation could create</a>. This moment in time could forever shape the future in ways that have never been seen before. We as human beings should learn as much as we can about what&#8217;s happening in order to adapt to an inevitably automated world.

gears, cogs, machine, machinery, mechanical, printing press, gea

A new video from Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell explores the history of innovation and job loss.

What Will Really Happen in the Age of Automation?

Automation has been happening for many years...but this time it's different.

<h2>Robots&#8217; Real Impact</h2>
&#8220;It&#8217;s frustrating sometimes to hear this rhetoric about bringing jobs back to the United States that left. Those jobs are actually still here in the United States, but they&#8217;re being done by robots, not humans,&#8221; Maurice Conti, Director of Applied Research and Innovation at <a href="http://www.autodesk.com/" target="_blank">Autodesk</a>, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-28/robots-are-slashing-u-s-wages-and-worsening-pay-inequality" target="_blank">told Bloomberg</a> in an interview that might leave many worried about their future financial stability.
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/age-automation-welcome-next-great-revolution/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/02/home_v1.jpg" alt="The Age of Automation: Welcome to the Next Great Revolution" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/age-automation-welcome-next-great-revolution/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
Autodesk is a manufacturing software company that is on the forefront of automating the workforce, so Conti is truly in the know when it comes to this subject, but <a href="http://www.nber.org/papers/w23285" target="_blank">new data analysis</a> reveals that job loss may not be the only negative aspect of increasing automation.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology&#8217;s Daron Acemoglu and Boston University&#8217;s Pascual Restrepo looked at data from a period spanning 17 years (1990–2007) for their analysis and concluded that wage decreases are coupling with job loss to further widen the wage gap between the rich and the poor. They estimate that automation has potentially increased the gap between the top 90 percent and the bottom 10 percent by up to an entire percentage point. According to their numbers, wages for impacted workers have been slashed by between 0.25 percent and 0.5 percent.
<h2>What to Do?</h2>
This problem is only going to get worse.  People need money to support themselves and their families, but with the number of jobs dwindling, we are rapidly approaching a point when the number of jobs available is simply incompatible with the number of workers.
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Many experts in various fields have spoken out to offer potential solutions for this issue. Bill Gates suggests that we <a href="https://futurism.com/bill-gates-says-job-stealing-robots-need-to-pay-taxes/" target="_blank">tax the robots</a> taking those jobs, or, more accurately, the company owners using them. In that scenario, the money from the taxes could be used to fund social programs. It could also go toward supporting another leading contender of what to do in the face of automation, universal basic income (UBI).
Super-CEO Elon Musk is a <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-automation-will-force-governments-to-introduce-universal-basic-income/">strong proponent of UBI</a>. In a UBI system, the populace is given funds unconditionally to subsidize their wages or lack thereof. Multiple <a href="https://futurism.com/the-first-blockchain-based-universal-basic-income-experiment-just-launched/">UBI experiments</a> are currently being conducted all around the world, so we will soon have more concrete data on the effectiveness of the project and whether it could be the answer we&#8217;re looking for as we face a future of widespread unemployment.

Automation is impacting even those with jobs.

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