In his latest book, published in 2019, the journalist Andrés Oppenheimer presents his conclusions about an investigation he carried out: the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on people's employment. Oppenheimer decides to carry out this investigation after becoming alarmed at the forecast of Oxford University: 47 pc of US jobs would be replaced by computers and robots in the next 15 years. He then goes out to travel the world, to observe the reality of more technologically advanced countries (Japan was his first visit) and to talk with experts.
Among his main findings, the following stand out: New technologies are not only replacing automated jobs that do not require much academic preparation (such as supermarket cashiers), but they are also rapidly spreading to more sophisticated tasks. There are already robots acting as waiters, receptionists (programmed to always be in a good mood), hotel concierges, teachers and cooks. There was even one who ran for deputy in a town in Tokyo (getting 4,000 votes). And there are also applications that perfectly provide accounting, legal and even medical services... (a diagnosis is made with greater precision than the most studied professional).
Some scientists predict that by 2045, artificial intelligence will surpass human intelligence. The robots will be lawyers and even judges (much more impartial than humans) and the soldiers, bionic humanoids.
Technology is growing much faster than employment. And that what happened during the Industrial Revolution, that the jobs that were destroyed were more than replaced… is not happening now.
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At the same time that millions of jobs are being destroyed, a serious social unrest is setting in. Not only because of economic anguish, but also because of the lack of meaning and purpose: "you are not necessary...everything you could contribute is useless since the machine does it better than you." And this discomfort is obviously accompanied by depression, drug addiction and alcoholism (psychologists and spiritual guides will not give enough).
Society is dividing into three groups: a technological elite at the top (increasingly rich and powerful), a group that will provide services to that elite (“personal trainers”, dance and piano teachers, meditation guides… ) and a large majority (including "very prepared" people) who would literally be left over in the system. And forming a huge army of outcasts (or "useless class" as the historian Yuval Noah Harari calls it).
Over time, people may be able to reinvent themselves and channel their energies into areas where technology couldn't compete with them. But this will not happen for now. The outlook is bleak in the short and medium term. No wonder the book is entitled "Everyone for themselves."