Ford, M. (2013). Viewpoint: Could Artificial Intelligence Create an Unemployment Crisis?. Communications Of The ACM, 56(7), 37-39. doi:10.1145/2483852.2483865 (MACKENZIE STENGER)

From Digital Culture & Society

This article uses many past and present examples of technological advances throughout time in order to predict how artificial intelligence will affect the workforce. This article argues that advancements in artificial intelligence is reason to warrant concern regarding employment rates. The vast majority of jobs worked by humans are predictable and repetitive (this is not to be confused with easy), therefore the vast majority of jobs can be broken down into a set of tasks and hierarchies that can be programmed into an artificial intelligence system. Then the job/tasks can be completed by artificial intelligence instead of paying a human fair wages to complete the job. Therefore, in theory is the majority of jobs can be replaced by artificial intelligence then the majority of the workforce will be out of a job, resulting in an unemployment crisis. The author uses examples throughout history in order to reinforce the idea that artificial intelligence will displace a large majority of the workforce. For example when many of the jobs in the agriculture and automobile industry were automated, millions of jobs were destroyed. Also taking into consideration that many of the workers that will be or have been displaced by technology are generally less educated and maintain lower wage jobs. Therefore, technological advances and artificial intelligences ability to take over outline jobs means that people currently working in these positions will either need to find a job that will not cannot be threatened by technology or they will have to move from industry to industry in order to maintain a repetitive, lower wage job. The fear is that with the implementation of artificial intelligence into the workforce there won't be enough of the low wage, repetitive jobs which are crucial to our economy and for the wellbeing of the masses. Therefore, technology is depleting the middle class jobs and creating a polarized job market, by leaving only low wage, low education jobs or high wage, high education jobs. By depleting the middle class jobs, many people will not have a job at all as there will not be enough employment for all of society, and those that do find jobs will likely be over educated and over qualified for their positions. Examples of how artificial intelligence is already beginning to displace workers are: lawyers and paralegals are being replaced by online resources, fast food service positions are being taken over by artificial intelligence (example: McDonalds, Starbucks, etc.), and the automation of store check outs (example: Walmart, Shoppers Drug Mart, etc.). This is a very strong article that discusses many specific examples throughout time. The author thoroughly uses examples throughout history to prove the legitimacy of their argument that artificial intelligence will create an employment crisis. The author also used present day examples of how artificial intelligence is taking over jobs and quietly integrating itself into our everyday lives.

Mackenzie Stenger