AI replacing white collar workers. Not SF but a current reality!

[Mountain Man]

Way back in college when I was a computer science major, I used to joke that I would one day rule the world, because computers would soon control everything, and I would control the computers, which would make me king.

[Sparko]

Way back in college when I was a computer science major, I used to joke that I would one day rule the world, because computers would soon control everything, and I would control the computers, which would make me king.

elam and his doomsday predictions reminds me of those 1950's Popular Science news reels showing what the future will be like with robots controlling everything and all we had to do is sit back and be served. (of course elam's vision is a bit more pessimistic) - but it didn't work that way. Automation didn't put us all into a life of luxury, being served by robots, nor did it end up as a dystopia ruled by evil job-stealing robots like elam is suggesting. It just ended up with us having to have more technical skills and using the automation to do MORE work, faster.

I want my flying car and robot slave!!!

[One Bad Pig]

elam and his doomsday predictions reminds me of those 1950's Popular Science news reels showing what the future will be like with robots controlling everything and all we had to do is sit back and be served. (of course elam's vision is a bit more pessimistic) - but it didn't work that way. Automation didn't put us all into a life of luxury, being served by robots, nor did it end up as a dystopia ruled by evil job-stealing robots like elam is suggesting. It just ended up with us having to have more technical skills and using the automation to do MORE work, faster.

I want my flying car and robot slave!!!

[Bisto]

1) If this were not a question of less jobs to be paid, there would be no net reduction of expenses, no rationalisation from the p o v of a boss (contestable if companies are serving sufficient many bosses, which is the case);

Don't companies (and people) also update their machinery itself, without necessarily lowering their workforce, to increase productivity, lower costs, etc.?

[Mountain Man]

The idea was that with automation, a person could do in 20-hours what used to take them 40-hours, and so began the myth of the 20-hour work-week. What almost everybody failed to realize is that this also meant that one person could now do the work of two people, meaning that businesses could get the same amount of productivity at half the cost.

[rogue06]

The idea was that with automation, a person could do in 20-hours what used to take them 40-hours, and so began the myth of the 20-hour work-week. What almost everybody failed to realize is that this also meant that one person could now do the work of two people, meaning that businesses could get the same amount of productivity at half the cost.

Exactly. It allowed people to do that work in less time so that they could do more -- to be more productive.

[Sparko]

Exactly. It allowed people to do that work in less time so that they could do more -- to be more productive.

and considering the population increase and increase in consumer demand, means that industry has to produce a lot more, a lot faster, and needs the automation just to keep up with demand. So more jobs of people doing more work, producing more goods.

[Bisto]

Yup. If we assume workforce as the single input (for the sake of example), then basically an improvement in productivity lets you lower your costs if you want to keep the same production rate (and fire people if need be) or increase your production rate given the same inputs as before (and hence keep your workforce). Or a balance between both. But not necessarily firing people, that's the point.