Rise of the Machines - In real life.

[DarkDefeater]

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/chinese-factory-replaces-90-of-humans-with-robots-production-soars/

The link alone tells you quite a bit. According to this article, humans have been highly replaced with robots and robots are superior at their jobs. This trend will only continue, with great results and dire consequences for folks looking for jobs. I can only guess of all the possible future ramifications.

Some could argue that this will free people to find more meaningful jobs...but will they? Can they? Some folks may be able to move on, but those who are trying to make careers in manufacturing, this news could be dire.

Thoughts?

[Badnik Mechanic]

Some could argue that this will free people to find more meaningful jobs...but will they? Can they?

Nope, nope and nope. 

It's the next step in manufacturing and processing. People will lose their jobs and there won't be anything to replace them. It's already happening in so many ways. Self service checkouts at supermarkets, robot assistants at hardware stores. 

Some will say 'well people can find new jobs' errr... nope. It's like, everytime I see these people on the news talking about how hard it is to find work or, "Please give me a chance" I wonder, 'what skills do you have? What do you have to offer?' If the answer is nothing, don't expect to be put into the position of a doctor or a nuclear technician, a computer programmer or some other specialist industry. 

Soon it'll move into administration and other jobs, and one day everyone bar human carers or vets will be replaced by a machine.

Odds are when that day happens finances worldwide will have to radically change, or instead of going to work we'll all have to sponsor a robot/machine to get wages, or there will be a third world war since wars reset everything.

[Kevin]

It's the next step in manufacturing and processing. People will lose their jobs and there won't be anything to replace them. It's already happening in so many ways. Self service checkouts at supermarkets, robot assistants at hardware stores. 

That's going to be the main impact of job automation. There will be a certain section of the population that will simply be unemployable. Look at the trucking industry. Forget the taxi drivers protesting against Uber and Lyft, one automated vehicles become mainstream, expect the loss of millions of jobs thus result in one of the greatest economic impacts of our time. An automated semi has even already started hitting the road. There will be protests and there will be attempts to get laws passed try to ban automation, but in spite of all that, automated jobs will win out in the end.

So what happens afterwards? Well I suspect there'll be loud calls for a universal basic income. As Hogfather said, something is going to have to change in terms of financials or serious consequences will happen.

[188Eternal]

 

Some could argue that this will free people to find more meaningful jobs...but will they? Can they? Some folks may be able to move on, but those who are trying to make careers in manufacturing, this news could be dire.

IMO it doesn't set us free at all. It sets us up for starvation and extinction in the long run. It's a recipe for disaster. Most people will be more likely to become obese and unhealthy instead of becoming re-employed and maintaining healthy lifestyles.

And the saddest part is that this trend is affecting more than just the manufacturing industry. It is affecting all public service industries. Even airports and hotels are slowly being affected by this. Managers of some of the companies might try to replace ticketing agents and flight attendants with holograms and droids, and if that happens then it means that my college tuition and my diploma was a useless waste of money and I'm doomed.

Not being able to acquire a skilled profession using my education and not being able to work at a factory without using my education will leave me with nothing to pursue and nothing to hope for, turning my life into meaningless hell.

[nintega137]

So does this mean we shouldn't advance any further in robotics or technology? 

[188Eternal]

So does this mean we shouldn't advance any further in robotics or technology? 

What we should do is develop technology which assists disabled and elderly people with mobility and day-to-day functions; and also develop technology which cures diseases such as various forms of cancer. Stuff like nano-technology and cybernetics should be developed, but not to the point where it has complete self-awareness, for obvious reasons.

We should also build something like a warp-drive which would allow us to explore the universe efficiently without feeling like some kind of handicapped losers.

Those are the kinds of things we should develop instead of investing in robots who take away our quality and purpose of life. Sadly, the capitalist government will never favour this. Hence why some people are trying to promote socialism.