The Pros And Cons Of Automation
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IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1 2
The Pros and Cons of Automation Prepared by: Gordon R. Bland Jr. University of Old Dominion
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Computer Science April 20, 2009
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8 9 10
Copyright © <2009> by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Three Park Avenue New York, New York 10016-5997, USA
11
All rights reserved.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
This document is an unapproved draft of a proposed IEEE Standard. As such, this document is subject to change. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! Because this is an unapproved draft, this document must not be utilized for any conformance/compliance purposes. Permission is hereby granted for IEEE Standards Committee participants to reproduce this document for purposes of international standardization consideration. Prior to adoption of this document, in whole or in part, by another standards development organization, permission must first be obtained from the IEEE Standards Activities Department ([email protected]). Other entities seeking permission to reproduce this document, in whole or in part, must also obtain permission from the IEEE Standards Activities Department.
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IEEE Standards Activities Department 445 Hoes Lane Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1
This page is left blank intentionally.
Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1 2 3
Introduction This document will cover the background, ethics, pros, and cons of automation in the workplace, household, and leisure activities.
4
Notice to users
5
Laws and regulations
6 7 8 9 10
Users of these documents should consult all applicable laws and regulations. Compliance with the provisions of this standard does not imply compliance to any applicable regulatory requirements. Implementers of the standard are responsible for observing or referring to the applicable regulatory requirements. IEEE does not, by the publication of its standards, intend to urge action that is not in compliance with applicable laws, and these documents may not be construed as doing so.
11
Copyrights
12 13 14 15 16 17
This document is copyrighted by the IEEE. It is made available for a wide variety of both public and private uses. These include both use, by reference, in laws and regulations, and use in private self-regulation, standardization, and the promotion of engineering practices and methods. By making this document available for use and adoption by public authorities and private users, the IEEE does not waive any rights in copyright to this document.
18
Updating of IEEE documents
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Users of IEEE standards should be aware that these documents may be superseded at any time by the issuance of new editions or may be amended from time to time through the issuance of amendments, corrigenda, or errata. An official IEEE document at any point in time consists of the current edition of the document together with any amendments, corrigenda, or errata then in effect. In order to determine whether a given document is the current edition and whether it has been amended through the issuance of amendments, corrigenda, or errata, visit the IEEE Standards Association web site at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/standards.jsp, or contact the IEEE at the address listed previously.
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For more information about the IEEE Standards Association or the IEEE standards development process, visit the IEEE-SA web site at http://standards.ieee.org.
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Errata
31 32 33
Errata, if any, for this and all other standards can be accessed at the following URL: http://standards.ieee.org/reading/ieee/updates/errata/index.html. Users are encouraged to check this URL for errata periodically.
iii Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1
Interpretations
2 3 4
Current interpretations can beaccessed http://standards.ieee.org/reading/ieee/interp/ index.html.
5
Patents
at
the
following
URL:
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Attention is called to the possibility that implementation of this may require use of subject matter covered by patent rights. By publication of this, no position is taken with respect to the existence or validity of any patent rights in connection therewith. The IEEE is not responsible for identifying Essential Patent Claims for which a license may be required, for conducting inquiries into the legal validity or scope of Patents Claims or determining whether any licensing terms or conditions provided in connection with submission of a Letter of Assurance, if any, or in any licensing agreements are reasonable or non-discriminatory. Users of this are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any patent rights, and the risk of infringement of such rights, is entirely their own responsibility. Further information may be obtained from the IEEE Standards Association.
17
Participants
18
At the time this draft was completed, the participants were:
19
1. Gordon R. Bland Jr.
iv Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1
1. Introduction
2 3 4 5
2. Current Automation.........................................................................................................1 2.1 Economic Effects.......................................................................................................1 2.1.1 Negative Effects..................................................................................................1 2.1.2 Positive Effects...................................................................................................2
6 7
3. Future Workplace.............................................................................................................3 3.1 The Future Factory....................................................................................................3
8 9
4. Future Home Life............................................................................................................4 4.1 The Future Home.......................................................................................................4
10 11 12
5. Future Leisure Activities..................................................................................................5 5.1 The Future of Leisure................................................................................................5 5.1.1 Human Interaction..............................................................................................5
13 14 15
6. Ethics of Automation.......................................................................................................6 6.1 Profit..........................................................................................................................6 6.2 Morals........................................................................................................................6
16
7. Annex B...........................................................................................................................6
v Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1
The Pros and Cons of Automation
2
1. Introduction
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
As time progresses, improvements in technology are inevitable, and one day, more automation will be possible. The human worker will no longer need to exist in order to do physical labor, but instead, the work of humans will exist to only research new ways to create robots to do new tasks for society. Not only will humans not be needed to work the same “back-breaking” jobs as they are today, but they will not even be necessary to raise their very own children. One day every aspect of life will have the possibility of automation—the workplace, home life, and even the assistants to leisure activities.
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2. Current Automation
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Shortly after computers were created and the potential of such technology was more fully utilized, automation, the spawn of computers, started to change the workplace. Automation made tasks simpler for workers while also producing more consistent products in factories. As a result, production took less time and profit increased while putting less strain on the worker. Jobs were however altered which lead to a shift in the skills necessary for workers to still be of use to companies.
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2.1 Economic Effects
18 19 20 21 22
With the increase of technology use in the workplace, humans have become obsolete for some jobs. Modern day automation has completely eliminated some production jobs whilst it has created jobs in new fields. With the freedom from mundane tasks because of automation, more creative tasks and jobs opened up. The jobs that are lost to machines then create new jobs for workers. Where a manual task was lost to a machine, jobs in design, manufacturing, and maintenance of the new machine may be created.
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2.1.1Negative Effects
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Computers along with automation have caused a decrease in jobs that once required many workers. Factory lines have now replaced workers with robots that are more efficient and less costly. What once required hundreds of workers to produce, automated factories may employee only a handful of workers to produce the products. These workers no longer produce the product, but instead they manage the machines and monitor their production. Due to the destruction of some jobs and the evolution of others, a change in required skills for workers is becoming more and more important. At one time, a secretary may have been required to write in shorthand, whilst now, secretaries are typically required to type on a computer at an established minimum speed.
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2.1.1.1Job Destruction
34 35 36
As early as the 1800s, jobs have been lost to machines. A group of people known as the Luddites destroyed weaving looms in fear of loss of jobs in textile factories [B1]. Once again in the 1950s and 1960s, machines scared the human workforce.
6 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
In the 1950s and 1960s, automation was once again attacked. John F. Kennedy along with labor groups claimed the increasing unemployment was a result of the more efficient machines taking jobs of workers [B1]. A quote from a Times article in 1961 read, “Throughout industry, the trend has been to bigger production with a smaller work force. In the highly automated chemical industry, the number of production jobs has fallen 3% since 1956 while output has soared 27%,” [B2]. In Illinois, 315,000 were unemployed in 1961. According to Robert Johnson, the State Labor Director during that year, most of the unemployed were resultants of automation. [B2] Pennsylvania’s Congressman Elmer J. Holland said, “One of the greatest problems with automation is not the worker who is fired, but the worker who is not hired,” [B2].
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2.1.1.2Outsourcing of Jobs
12 13 14 15 16 17
In more recent times, unemployment has been blamed on outsourcing of jobs; however, some disagree. During a Global Media Summit sponsored by Rockwell Automation (www.rockwellautomation.com), Milwaukee, Dan Miklovic stated, “Recent studies show that manufacturing jobs are declining everywhere,” [B3]. According to an article by Wes Iversen in 2004, U.S. manufacturing jobs declined by more than 11 percent from 19942004. This may be true, but jobs could have been lost for a multitude of reasons.
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2.1.2Positive Effects
19 20 21 22 23 24
Computers mark a point of economic stability where tasks that are seen as a burden for humans have been eliminated. This has allowed more time for creative and intellectual thinking, which is not a necessity for life. New industries have been created for the production of computers and the machines that automate tasks. In factories, robots have replaced the human worker that can make mistakes. The cheaper robot saves companies money as well as produces higher quality products more efficiently.
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2.1.2.1Job Creation
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Jobs for computer and machine repair have been created from the widespread use in industry. Computer repairmen have replaced the once needed job of typewriter repairmen. Factories now employee workers to repair machines that produce products as well as people to monitor the machines in various aspects of production. In 1961, it was recognized that the loss of jobs to automation would result in an increase in the service industry [B2].
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While many jobs have been lost to machines, 309.9 million from 1993-2002, 327.7 million new jobs were created during that same time period [B1]. While that gave a net increase of 17.8 million jobs, during 2004 to 2014, the BLS projects that there will be another net increase of 18.9 million jobs with roughly half being seasonal jobs [B1].
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As seen from statistics, it is apparent that jobs are continually created in place of ones lost as a part of an ever-evolving need for jobs due to new skill sets required from new technology. It is easy to attack technology when it comes to unemployment as economists lack imagination to see the new jobs that will be created [B1]. Technology when utilized correctly simply alters jobs and the paths they take. An example of this is during World War II, rooms full of workers sat at typewriters creating letters for government purposes. With computers, a few workers can replace what was once a large workforce, whilst new 7 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1 2
jobs are created to manufacture the computers, printers, and database servers. Workers are also required to fix these machines.
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3. Future Workplace
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In section 1.1.2.1, it was found that jobs, even though destroyed, new ones are created in environments where automation has replaced the bulk of physical labor per say. Though automation exists, humans are still required to create build new machines for automation and workers must exist to fix and maintain said machines. In the future, it is very easily foreseeable that robots of some sort may replace these jobs.
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3.1 The Future Factory
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In the not so distant future, a factory may operate in this way:
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1. Resources are collected by robots that work more efficiently than a human worker by not wasting any potential material and working in the environment with less of a “presence.”
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2. Resources are gathered from the site and are then loaded, driven, and unloaded by a team of robotic workers. No more safety concerns for human workers are needed as at most, the human worker is simply monitoring the robots “just in case” something were to go wrong. (Maintenance is done by a special team of robotic workers)
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3. Robotic workers produce the desired items at the factory from start to finish. Products are produced that have fewer mistakes, use fewer resources, and fail at lower rates.
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4. A team of robotic workers packages the products and ships them straight to the person who ordered the product online.
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Automation in this manner would allow humans to spend their time not worrying about the mundane tasks of everyday living. In the past, a human may be required to hunt for food just to survive, but in 2009, hunting is generally a leisure activity for enjoyment. Though it can still feed a family, it is no longer necessary. In much the same way humans will have the opportunity to avoid physical labor to the extent that was once required and instead spend time developing one’s mind.
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A human worker will at most be required to think of new techniques to implement the machines, design new products, and oversee the machines in the factories. No matter how automated society is, innovation will always lie within the human’s realm of thinking and not the machines. A logical circuit simply does not [yet] have the possibility of innovating. Overseeing the machines will most likely occur too no matter how failsafe the robotic workers are. It is only natural that humans will want to make sure nothing goes wrong.
8 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1
4. Future Home Life
2 3 4 5 6 7
With the ever-increasing workload for households, a robotic maid would free up much time to alleviate people of the mundane tasks of marinating a household. After a long days work, nothing more pleasant than coming to a house that requires no more work could exist. In the future, work may be minimal whilst learning and relaxing may take up the majority of a person’s time, but still, more time would exist to do things that are pleasurable if maintenance to the house was no longer necessary by human hands.
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4.1 The Future Home
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The future household may implement robotic workers in this manner:
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1. Groceries and other various required items for daily life are ordered online by human or robotic worker depending on the item and delivered straight to the house. The robotic workers of the house may then unpack the shipped item[s].
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2. Food will be prepared by a robotic worker and served to the family. Meals may then be specially prepared on a per-person basis
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3. A robotic staff consisting of maids, grounds keepers, and maintenance crews will keep the house in top physical shape both aesthetically and structurally.
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4. Children may be watched by a robotic childcare worker 24 hours a day so that the parents are not required or simply on occasions where a babysitter is requested.
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Though points 1 through 3 are easy to assume the general public’s acceptance, point 4 raises an ethics issue. If humans reproduce, should they be held accountable to raise that child if robotic workers can do the job as well? If they were in fact able to raise the child safely, would there be lasting effects of being raised by robots? The general public will most likely never accept a robot as a babysitter for a child even if Asimov’s first law were never broken (a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm) [B4].
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Furthermore, a child raised by a robot may also grow up to display the characteristics of a feral child. Traian Caldarar, a feral child raised by dogs, was separated from his family for three years and was found once again at age seven [B5]. When found, he walked with “the bandy gait of a chimpanzee” and seemed to have lost sense of some characteristics of modern society [B5]. Instead of sleeping onto of his bed, he now slept under the bed, and became very motivated by food [B5]. Feral children like Traian are not completely unusual and there are in fact studies devoted to these cases [B6]. A robot programmed to follow characteristic of a human may not cause the same effects on a child; however, without emotion [coming from the caretaker robot], the child may learn to lack emotion too.
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5. Future Leisure Activities
37 38 39
Currently, every leisure activity involves interactions with humans in some aspect, but with advancements in automation, this may no longer be necessary. In instances of sports, referees make the calls, but even with current technology in 2009, they could almost be 9 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1 2 3 4
eradicated completely. In other activities such as travel, a human at some point must handle travel information, even if you get tickets online. Airplanes currently have complex automation built into them, but pilots are still there. In the future, a person may want to enjoy a leisure activity and never have to deal with a person in order to do so.
5
5.1 The Future of Leisure
6
Future leisure activities may be handled in this way:
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1. No need for human interaction to gather travel information—an Internet connection may be the only requirement for the next vacation.
9
2. Vehicles to travel destinations will be driven by computer.
10
3. Referees for sports will be computerized.
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4. Casinos will no longer be necessary—a few friends at a house could play another group of people via online in poker for example. Interaction between players would still exist to retain the enjoyable human interaction without the travel expenses.
15
5. Personal robotic servants may wait on people.
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6. Bars will add the option of a robotic bartender.
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5.1.1Human Interaction
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Though automation can work well in many respects, leisure will see minimal effects. Because leisure typically is based upon enjoyable human interactions, robotic workers will only replace few aspects. Many aspects that may be altered will simply be increases in technology; however, activities will remain very much the same. Services such as “online poker” already exist and small changes to the software used could fulfill the dream of not traveling to casinos ever again to partake in gambling. Changes to the software would heavily rely on adding human interaction between players in order to give the same sense social atmosphere however.
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In sports, automation may not be wanted at all. Referees have become one of the most hated and loved aspects of the games. With human error and judgment, the game is not as easily predictable and typically more entertainment is gained. Personal robot servants on vacation would however typically bring great enjoyment and even perhaps a robotic bartender, but a computer-controlled airplane may bother others. Much of the leisure activity future will be determined based on the human feelings towards less human interaction.
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6. Ethics of Automation
34 35 36
Computers were first created to make tasks easier. Complex mathematical equations were made simpler through the use of algorithms based on Boolean algebra, whilst mundane tasks of filing information could be automated. No longer was a person required to have 10 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1 2
tangible materials to work with such as files, but instead databases allowed massive amounts of information to be stored in a smaller footprint.
3
6.1 Profit
4 5 6 7 8 9
Computers were originally created to make tasks simpler. In doing so, they proved to be more efficient and mistakes were less. Because of this, companies have discovered that automation can create a better product with fewer defects as the human element is absent and production time is shortened. With more products being produced with fewer workers, profit margins increased. From a company perspective, it was a no brainer to move towards automation and remove the weak link—humans.
10
6.2 Morals
11 12 13 14
The drawback to automating companies is the removal of human workers from their jobs. Being human, morals come into play when a worker loses a job and they may not be able to support their children anymore. A “happy medium” must be reached sometimes in order to increase profit margins without ruining the worker’s lives.
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In cases of childcare, automation may not prove to be a solution as the “human touch” is necessary. Likewise, artistic creation will still require abstract thought where a machine will never fully replace people. Humans will always need to have true human interaction and computers will never fill that kind of perfect imperfection.
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7. Annex B
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[B1] Baase, Sara. Gift of Fire. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall PTR, 2007.
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Chapter 6: Work [B2] "THE AUTOMATION JOBLESS - TIME." TIME.com. 24 Feb. 1961. 08 Feb. 2009. [B3] "Outsourcing Not the Culprit in Manufacturing Job Loss | News |." Automation World. Jan. 2004. 08 Feb. 2009 .
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[B4] "Asimov's Laws." Android.
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[B5] "FeralChildren.com | Traian Caldarar, the Romanian Dog Boy." FeralChildren.com. 15 Apr. 2009
31 32 33
World.
14
Apr.
2009
. [B6] "FeralChildren.com." FeralChildren.com | Feral children: isolated, confined, wild and wolf children. 11 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P, <April 20> <2009>
1
15 Apr. 2009.
12 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
1 2
The Pros and Cons of Automation Prepared by: Gordon R. Bland Jr. University of Old Dominion
3 4 5
Computer Science April 20, 2009
6 7
8 9 10
Copyright © <2009> by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. Three Park Avenue New York, New York 10016-5997, USA
11
All rights reserved.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
This document is an unapproved draft of a proposed IEEE Standard. As such, this document is subject to change. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! Because this is an unapproved draft, this document must not be utilized for any conformance/compliance purposes. Permission is hereby granted for IEEE Standards Committee participants to reproduce this document for purposes of international standardization consideration. Prior to adoption of this document, in whole or in part, by another standards development organization, permission must first be obtained from the IEEE Standards Activities Department ([email protected]). Other entities seeking permission to reproduce this document, in whole or in part, must also obtain permission from the IEEE Standards Activities Department.
22 23 24
IEEE Standards Activities Department 445 Hoes Lane Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P
1
This page is left blank intentionally.
Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P
1 2 3
Introduction This document will cover the background, ethics, pros, and cons of automation in the workplace, household, and leisure activities.
4
Notice to users
5
Laws and regulations
6 7 8 9 10
Users of these documents should consult all applicable laws and regulations. Compliance with the provisions of this standard does not imply compliance to any applicable regulatory requirements. Implementers of the standard are responsible for observing or referring to the applicable regulatory requirements. IEEE does not, by the publication of its standards, intend to urge action that is not in compliance with applicable laws, and these documents may not be construed as doing so.
11
Copyrights
12 13 14 15 16 17
This document is copyrighted by the IEEE. It is made available for a wide variety of both public and private uses. These include both use, by reference, in laws and regulations, and use in private self-regulation, standardization, and the promotion of engineering practices and methods. By making this document available for use and adoption by public authorities and private users, the IEEE does not waive any rights in copyright to this document.
18
Updating of IEEE documents
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
Users of IEEE standards should be aware that these documents may be superseded at any time by the issuance of new editions or may be amended from time to time through the issuance of amendments, corrigenda, or errata. An official IEEE document at any point in time consists of the current edition of the document together with any amendments, corrigenda, or errata then in effect. In order to determine whether a given document is the current edition and whether it has been amended through the issuance of amendments, corrigenda, or errata, visit the IEEE Standards Association web site at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/standards.jsp, or contact the IEEE at the address listed previously.
28 29
For more information about the IEEE Standards Association or the IEEE standards development process, visit the IEEE-SA web site at http://standards.ieee.org.
30
Errata
31 32 33
Errata, if any, for this and all other standards can be accessed at the following URL: http://standards.ieee.org/reading/ieee/updates/errata/index.html. Users are encouraged to check this URL for errata periodically.
iii Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P
1
Interpretations
2 3 4
Current interpretations can beaccessed http://standards.ieee.org/reading/ieee/interp/ index.html.
5
Patents
at
the
following
URL:
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Attention is called to the possibility that implementation of this may require use of subject matter covered by patent rights. By publication of this, no position is taken with respect to the existence or validity of any patent rights in connection therewith. The IEEE is not responsible for identifying Essential Patent Claims for which a license may be required, for conducting inquiries into the legal validity or scope of Patents Claims or determining whether any licensing terms or conditions provided in connection with submission of a Letter of Assurance, if any, or in any licensing agreements are reasonable or non-discriminatory. Users of this are expressly advised that determination of the validity of any patent rights, and the risk of infringement of such rights, is entirely their own responsibility. Further information may be obtained from the IEEE Standards Association.
17
Participants
18
At the time this draft was completed, the participants were:
19
1. Gordon R. Bland Jr.
iv Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P
1
1. Introduction
2 3 4 5
2. Current Automation.........................................................................................................1 2.1 Economic Effects.......................................................................................................1 2.1.1 Negative Effects..................................................................................................1 2.1.2 Positive Effects...................................................................................................2
6 7
3. Future Workplace.............................................................................................................3 3.1 The Future Factory....................................................................................................3
8 9
4. Future Home Life............................................................................................................4 4.1 The Future Home.......................................................................................................4
10 11 12
5. Future Leisure Activities..................................................................................................5 5.1 The Future of Leisure................................................................................................5 5.1.1 Human Interaction..............................................................................................5
13 14 15
6. Ethics of Automation.......................................................................................................6 6.1 Profit..........................................................................................................................6 6.2 Morals........................................................................................................................6
16
7. Annex B...........................................................................................................................6
v Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P
1
The Pros and Cons of Automation
2
1. Introduction
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
As time progresses, improvements in technology are inevitable, and one day, more automation will be possible. The human worker will no longer need to exist in order to do physical labor, but instead, the work of humans will exist to only research new ways to create robots to do new tasks for society. Not only will humans not be needed to work the same “back-breaking” jobs as they are today, but they will not even be necessary to raise their very own children. One day every aspect of life will have the possibility of automation—the workplace, home life, and even the assistants to leisure activities.
10
2. Current Automation
11 12 13 14 15 16
Shortly after computers were created and the potential of such technology was more fully utilized, automation, the spawn of computers, started to change the workplace. Automation made tasks simpler for workers while also producing more consistent products in factories. As a result, production took less time and profit increased while putting less strain on the worker. Jobs were however altered which lead to a shift in the skills necessary for workers to still be of use to companies.
17
2.1 Economic Effects
18 19 20 21 22
With the increase of technology use in the workplace, humans have become obsolete for some jobs. Modern day automation has completely eliminated some production jobs whilst it has created jobs in new fields. With the freedom from mundane tasks because of automation, more creative tasks and jobs opened up. The jobs that are lost to machines then create new jobs for workers. Where a manual task was lost to a machine, jobs in design, manufacturing, and maintenance of the new machine may be created.
23
2.1.1Negative Effects
24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32
Computers along with automation have caused a decrease in jobs that once required many workers. Factory lines have now replaced workers with robots that are more efficient and less costly. What once required hundreds of workers to produce, automated factories may employee only a handful of workers to produce the products. These workers no longer produce the product, but instead they manage the machines and monitor their production. Due to the destruction of some jobs and the evolution of others, a change in required skills for workers is becoming more and more important. At one time, a secretary may have been required to write in shorthand, whilst now, secretaries are typically required to type on a computer at an established minimum speed.
33
2.1.1.1Job Destruction
34 35 36
As early as the 1800s, jobs have been lost to machines. A group of people known as the Luddites destroyed weaving looms in fear of loss of jobs in textile factories [B1]. Once again in the 1950s and 1960s, machines scared the human workforce.
6 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
IEEE P
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
In the 1950s and 1960s, automation was once again attacked. John F. Kennedy along with labor groups claimed the increasing unemployment was a result of the more efficient machines taking jobs of workers [B1]. A quote from a Times article in 1961 read, “Throughout industry, the trend has been to bigger production with a smaller work force. In the highly automated chemical industry, the number of production jobs has fallen 3% since 1956 while output has soared 27%,” [B2]. In Illinois, 315,000 were unemployed in 1961. According to Robert Johnson, the State Labor Director during that year, most of the unemployed were resultants of automation. [B2] Pennsylvania’s Congressman Elmer J. Holland said, “One of the greatest problems with automation is not the worker who is fired, but the worker who is not hired,” [B2].
11
2.1.1.2Outsourcing of Jobs
12 13 14 15 16 17
In more recent times, unemployment has been blamed on outsourcing of jobs; however, some disagree. During a Global Media Summit sponsored by Rockwell Automation (www.rockwellautomation.com), Milwaukee, Dan Miklovic stated, “Recent studies show that manufacturing jobs are declining everywhere,” [B3]. According to an article by Wes Iversen in 2004, U.S. manufacturing jobs declined by more than 11 percent from 19942004. This may be true, but jobs could have been lost for a multitude of reasons.
18
2.1.2Positive Effects
19 20 21 22 23 24
Computers mark a point of economic stability where tasks that are seen as a burden for humans have been eliminated. This has allowed more time for creative and intellectual thinking, which is not a necessity for life. New industries have been created for the production of computers and the machines that automate tasks. In factories, robots have replaced the human worker that can make mistakes. The cheaper robot saves companies money as well as produces higher quality products more efficiently.
25
2.1.2.1Job Creation
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Jobs for computer and machine repair have been created from the widespread use in industry. Computer repairmen have replaced the once needed job of typewriter repairmen. Factories now employee workers to repair machines that produce products as well as people to monitor the machines in various aspects of production. In 1961, it was recognized that the loss of jobs to automation would result in an increase in the service industry [B2].
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While many jobs have been lost to machines, 309.9 million from 1993-2002, 327.7 million new jobs were created during that same time period [B1]. While that gave a net increase of 17.8 million jobs, during 2004 to 2014, the BLS projects that there will be another net increase of 18.9 million jobs with roughly half being seasonal jobs [B1].
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As seen from statistics, it is apparent that jobs are continually created in place of ones lost as a part of an ever-evolving need for jobs due to new skill sets required from new technology. It is easy to attack technology when it comes to unemployment as economists lack imagination to see the new jobs that will be created [B1]. Technology when utilized correctly simply alters jobs and the paths they take. An example of this is during World War II, rooms full of workers sat at typewriters creating letters for government purposes. With computers, a few workers can replace what was once a large workforce, whilst new 7 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
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jobs are created to manufacture the computers, printers, and database servers. Workers are also required to fix these machines.
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3. Future Workplace
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In section 1.1.2.1, it was found that jobs, even though destroyed, new ones are created in environments where automation has replaced the bulk of physical labor per say. Though automation exists, humans are still required to create build new machines for automation and workers must exist to fix and maintain said machines. In the future, it is very easily foreseeable that robots of some sort may replace these jobs.
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3.1 The Future Factory
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In the not so distant future, a factory may operate in this way:
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1. Resources are collected by robots that work more efficiently than a human worker by not wasting any potential material and working in the environment with less of a “presence.”
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2. Resources are gathered from the site and are then loaded, driven, and unloaded by a team of robotic workers. No more safety concerns for human workers are needed as at most, the human worker is simply monitoring the robots “just in case” something were to go wrong. (Maintenance is done by a special team of robotic workers)
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3. Robotic workers produce the desired items at the factory from start to finish. Products are produced that have fewer mistakes, use fewer resources, and fail at lower rates.
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4. A team of robotic workers packages the products and ships them straight to the person who ordered the product online.
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Automation in this manner would allow humans to spend their time not worrying about the mundane tasks of everyday living. In the past, a human may be required to hunt for food just to survive, but in 2009, hunting is generally a leisure activity for enjoyment. Though it can still feed a family, it is no longer necessary. In much the same way humans will have the opportunity to avoid physical labor to the extent that was once required and instead spend time developing one’s mind.
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A human worker will at most be required to think of new techniques to implement the machines, design new products, and oversee the machines in the factories. No matter how automated society is, innovation will always lie within the human’s realm of thinking and not the machines. A logical circuit simply does not [yet] have the possibility of innovating. Overseeing the machines will most likely occur too no matter how failsafe the robotic workers are. It is only natural that humans will want to make sure nothing goes wrong.
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4. Future Home Life
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With the ever-increasing workload for households, a robotic maid would free up much time to alleviate people of the mundane tasks of marinating a household. After a long days work, nothing more pleasant than coming to a house that requires no more work could exist. In the future, work may be minimal whilst learning and relaxing may take up the majority of a person’s time, but still, more time would exist to do things that are pleasurable if maintenance to the house was no longer necessary by human hands.
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4.1 The Future Home
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The future household may implement robotic workers in this manner:
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1. Groceries and other various required items for daily life are ordered online by human or robotic worker depending on the item and delivered straight to the house. The robotic workers of the house may then unpack the shipped item[s].
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2. Food will be prepared by a robotic worker and served to the family. Meals may then be specially prepared on a per-person basis
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3. A robotic staff consisting of maids, grounds keepers, and maintenance crews will keep the house in top physical shape both aesthetically and structurally.
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4. Children may be watched by a robotic childcare worker 24 hours a day so that the parents are not required or simply on occasions where a babysitter is requested.
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Though points 1 through 3 are easy to assume the general public’s acceptance, point 4 raises an ethics issue. If humans reproduce, should they be held accountable to raise that child if robotic workers can do the job as well? If they were in fact able to raise the child safely, would there be lasting effects of being raised by robots? The general public will most likely never accept a robot as a babysitter for a child even if Asimov’s first law were never broken (a robot may not injure a human being, or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm) [B4].
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Furthermore, a child raised by a robot may also grow up to display the characteristics of a feral child. Traian Caldarar, a feral child raised by dogs, was separated from his family for three years and was found once again at age seven [B5]. When found, he walked with “the bandy gait of a chimpanzee” and seemed to have lost sense of some characteristics of modern society [B5]. Instead of sleeping onto of his bed, he now slept under the bed, and became very motivated by food [B5]. Feral children like Traian are not completely unusual and there are in fact studies devoted to these cases [B6]. A robot programmed to follow characteristic of a human may not cause the same effects on a child; however, without emotion [coming from the caretaker robot], the child may learn to lack emotion too.
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5. Future Leisure Activities
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Currently, every leisure activity involves interactions with humans in some aspect, but with advancements in automation, this may no longer be necessary. In instances of sports, referees make the calls, but even with current technology in 2009, they could almost be 9 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
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eradicated completely. In other activities such as travel, a human at some point must handle travel information, even if you get tickets online. Airplanes currently have complex automation built into them, but pilots are still there. In the future, a person may want to enjoy a leisure activity and never have to deal with a person in order to do so.
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5.1 The Future of Leisure
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Future leisure activities may be handled in this way:
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1. No need for human interaction to gather travel information—an Internet connection may be the only requirement for the next vacation.
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2. Vehicles to travel destinations will be driven by computer.
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3. Referees for sports will be computerized.
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4. Casinos will no longer be necessary—a few friends at a house could play another group of people via online in poker for example. Interaction between players would still exist to retain the enjoyable human interaction without the travel expenses.
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5. Personal robotic servants may wait on people.
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6. Bars will add the option of a robotic bartender.
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5.1.1Human Interaction
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Though automation can work well in many respects, leisure will see minimal effects. Because leisure typically is based upon enjoyable human interactions, robotic workers will only replace few aspects. Many aspects that may be altered will simply be increases in technology; however, activities will remain very much the same. Services such as “online poker” already exist and small changes to the software used could fulfill the dream of not traveling to casinos ever again to partake in gambling. Changes to the software would heavily rely on adding human interaction between players in order to give the same sense social atmosphere however.
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In sports, automation may not be wanted at all. Referees have become one of the most hated and loved aspects of the games. With human error and judgment, the game is not as easily predictable and typically more entertainment is gained. Personal robot servants on vacation would however typically bring great enjoyment and even perhaps a robotic bartender, but a computer-controlled airplane may bother others. Much of the leisure activity future will be determined based on the human feelings towards less human interaction.
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6. Ethics of Automation
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Computers were first created to make tasks easier. Complex mathematical equations were made simpler through the use of algorithms based on Boolean algebra, whilst mundane tasks of filing information could be automated. No longer was a person required to have 10 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
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tangible materials to work with such as files, but instead databases allowed massive amounts of information to be stored in a smaller footprint.
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6.1 Profit
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Computers were originally created to make tasks simpler. In doing so, they proved to be more efficient and mistakes were less. Because of this, companies have discovered that automation can create a better product with fewer defects as the human element is absent and production time is shortened. With more products being produced with fewer workers, profit margins increased. From a company perspective, it was a no brainer to move towards automation and remove the weak link—humans.
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6.2 Morals
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The drawback to automating companies is the removal of human workers from their jobs. Being human, morals come into play when a worker loses a job and they may not be able to support their children anymore. A “happy medium” must be reached sometimes in order to increase profit margins without ruining the worker’s lives.
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In cases of childcare, automation may not prove to be a solution as the “human touch” is necessary. Likewise, artistic creation will still require abstract thought where a machine will never fully replace people. Humans will always need to have true human interaction and computers will never fill that kind of perfect imperfection.
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7. Annex B
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[B1] Baase, Sara. Gift of Fire. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall PTR, 2007.
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Chapter 6: Work [B2] "THE AUTOMATION JOBLESS - TIME." TIME.com. 24 Feb. 1961. 08 Feb. 2009
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[B4] "Asimov's Laws." Android
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[B5] "FeralChildren.com | Traian Caldarar, the Romanian Dog Boy." FeralChildren.com. 15 Apr. 2009
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World.
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12 Copyright © <2009> IEEE. All rights reserved. This is an unapproved IEEE Standards Draft, subject to change.
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