Blog Post

June 14, 2020

Automation: Expectation Vs. Reality

A fortnight ago, I started learning the Python programming language. A week into the course, my biggest lesson was that there is a vast range of possibilities for automation in our daily lives.

In 1833, A British mathematician named Charles Babbage invented the first computer resembling today’s modern machine. Since then, technology has undoubtedly come a long way. It is quite clear that in recent times having digital skills is a necessity for most jobs as compared to a couple of years back. But will this be the peak of the use of technology in work?

"What really is automation?", you may ask. Well, this is the process of replacing a manual step with one that happens automatically or, as some may call it, “Labor-saving technology”.

On April 24, 2020, a renowned American vehicle and clean energy company named Tesla, Inc. released a software update for its full self-driving capability. It is evident that electric cars are cheaper to run, better for the environment and have safety improvements, so it is probably a matter of time before the world resorts to this type of vehicle.

I could not help but wonder what would happen to the drivers if cargo vehicles, passenger service vehicles, military vehicles and even personal vehicles adopted this same technology. Would their roles be deemed useless?

Not only can automation be applied in transportation, but it is also possible in sectors such as manufacturing, communication, service industries and so on.

Automation is no longer just a problem for those working in manufacturing. Physical labour was replaced by robots; mental labour is going to be replaced by A.I and software.

Apparently, robots and artificial intelligence will replace millions of jobs in the years ahead. There are those jobs that I suspect will probably always require a human touch, for example, lawyers, health care workers or even scientists. Still, we are entering an era where one can’t help but question whether the tasks in their job description can or cannot be automated.

Throughout most countries, taxation on labour is the highest source of revenue. But as capital progressively replaces labour through automation and artificial intelligence, governments will have to find corresponding ways of taxing capital. Whether governments use this revenue for good is a debate for another day, but this will definitely lead to a loss of revenue.

There is no doubt that automation seems inevitable and has numerous advantages. Still, one cannot turn a blind eye to some of the adverse effects it is bound to come along with, or else one will fail to adapt to the changing situations.