Before the crisis hit, fearful reaction and alarmist headline buzz immediately harkened to predictions of massive job loss, disproportionate allocation of prosperity and further political polarization. Now that we are in the midst of massive job loss, that hasn’t been caused by automation, the question is now “How can automation accelerate our recovery and protect us from future pandemics?”
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Prior to the crisis, the WEF reported that automation will generate “vast new opportunities for fulfilling people’s potential and aspirations.” Now there is evidence that automation protects humans. Consider logistics automation: it protects warehousing and delivery workers from being exposed to pathogens. Robots continuously cleaning hospitals avoid imperiling health workers. Digital payments obviate exchanging money, cards, and signatures for those who work in retail.
