Czech playwright Karel Čapek first introduced the idea of robots in 1920. His famous play, R.U.R., depicts a factory in which artificial workers are created to carry out the menial tasks for their human counterparts. At first the robots seem happy and instantly become an essential part of business, allowing products to be produced cheaper and faster, but before long the robots get smart, storm the factory and kill the humans.
References throughout twentieth century-literature, film and television have kept Čapek’s idea alive, and today, almost one hundred years later, the threat of a cybernetic revolution continues to intrigue.
Many believe our reliance on technology will lead to damaging societal and psychological effects, whilst others welcome it with open arms. But with many production and distribution systems already relying entirely on automated processes, the question of, “are we at the edge of a robot revolution?” remains as pertinent as ever.
In this Ted Talk, Economist Andrew McAfee studies the fascinating relationship between technology and the workforce, explaining how, contrary to popular negative opinion, technology’s ever increasing prominence in the workplace will bring huge social, economic and educational benefits, helping to engage some of our youngest learners as well as our oldest ones.
Going beyond the idea that more technology means fewer jobs, Andrew asks the question: as machines provide support for our most menial of duties, will this free up more time for innovation and creativity?
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