Automation vs humans, debate on the topic is already a long standing, and over-emphasised one, with no mutual conclusion reached to date even with myriad arguments and evidences presented from either ends. Yet, one thing that has fundamentally improved significantly is the intelligence quotient of our machines. They have become more intelligent, dependable and accurate than ever.
Production jobs have almost wiped out the need for human interference, taxi driving might soon adapt the automation route owing to driverless cars, online softwares are already proofreading and marking essays, and machines are outperforming our knowledge rich doctors.
Tech optimists always argued that automation will generate more jobs than it will replace, but it seems that luddites predicted the future more accurately. Does this mean that when the artificial intelligence becomes better, could we all find ourselves replaced?
Mechanically-focused and rote jobs have been largely displaced by automation. Jobs that have human reasoning as a pre-requisite, have been fortunate enough to be left alone. However, the pace with which AI is spreading, it threatens to upend all of that.
However, machines have one big dis-advantage. Their capabilities are limited, and are known to present issues while performing even the most simplest of tasks. A small change in the coding, or a small difference in the input data can make their operations come to a grinding stop.
In addition, these machines are designed to see through the lens of pre-defined algorithms and filters, which are selected by their very human trainers. This implies, that although artificial intelligence can replace humans in a number of jobs, however for their own upkeep, human interference is inevitable.
Whatever be the conclusion of this, we know one sure thing and that is we are moving towards an automation revolution faster than ever, and we are more likely to embrace it than oppose it.