Automation Anxiety: Why and How to Save Work

The book "The End of Work" explores the potential consequences of automation and algorithms on the future of employment, suggesting that while new jobs may be created, they may not be enough to offset job losses in the middle-skill sector. It proposes a strategy for mitigating the losses and spreading the gains from shrinking demand for human labor, including access to adequate incomes, more free time, and decent remunerative work. The book argues that a multi-pronged program centered on conserving, creating, and spreading work is necessary to address growing economic inequality and racial stratification.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 13 October 2021
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

The prospect of super-capable robots and algorithms taking over our jobs and leaving a significant portion of the adult population idle has been a recurring theme since the dawn of industrialization. However, it is important to note that predictions of a jobless future have often been followed by the creation of new, better-paying jobs that replace those lost to automation. While ongoing innovations in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics are indeed destroying more decent middle-skill jobs than they are creating, there is reason to believe that this time may be different.

The impact of automation on employment is not a linear process, and there are many possible versions of the future that range from utterly dystopian to humane and broadly appealing. It all depends on how we respond to these technological advancements.

In this book, we will confront the prospect of mounting job losses due to automation and explore the widely divergent hopes and fears that this prospect evokes. We will propose a strategy for both mitigating the losses and spreading the gains from shrinking demand for human labor. Our goal should be to ensure access to adequate incomes, more free time, and decent remunerative work, even in a future with less of it.

To achieve this, we will need to implement a multi-pronged program that focuses on conserving, creating, and spreading work. This program should include measures such as investing in education and training programs to upskill workers, promoting job creation through government policies and incentives, and implementing policies that support worker rights and protections.

While the book proposes a foreseeable future of less work, it is important to note that this does not mean that we will become unemployed or that our lives will be reduced to mere existence. Rather, it suggests that we need to adapt to a changing job market and find new ways to contribute to society and earn a living.

In conclusion, the prospect of super-capable robots and algorithms taking over our jobs and leaving a significant portion of the adult population idle is a complex and multifaceted issue. While there are reasons to be concerned about the impact of automation on employment, there are also many possible versions of the future that range from dystopian to humane and broadly appealing. It is up to us to respond to these technological advancements in a way that ensures access to adequate incomes, more free time, and decent remunerative work, while also addressing growing economic inequality and persistent racial stratification. By implementing a multi-pronged program that focuses on conserving, creating, and spreading work, we can create a future that is both prosperous and sustainable.

Weight: 510g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780197566107