Automation is An Opportunity
What if automation doesn’t come to replace humans but stops us from having to do mind-numbing tasks? We are in the midst of some huge shifts. But these shifts are not about progress like moving from an agricultural society to industrialization in the eighteenth century.
The shifts are about being able to tap into our humanity. And who knows, We might shift from working to playing?
Automation is not new to us. We have seen it implemented in many industries to make work more efficient. The headlines that create the fear of massive job losses need to simply stop. We have very smart people in the world who love to create and they will continue to amaze us with their genius in areas for the benefit of humanity.
What if we choose to outsource our formulaic thinking and activities to AI? And, maybe our big shift is toward autonomy, mastery and purpose?
We Are Made to Thrive
Oscar Wilde, in a 1891 essay, ridicules the “nonsense that is written and talked today about the dignity of manual labour,” and contends that “man is made for something better than distributing dirt. All work of that kind should be done by a machine.”
He adds: “Machinery must work for us in coal mines, and do all sanitary services, and be the stoker of steamers, and clean the streets, and run messages on wet days, and do anything that is tedious or distressing. At present, machinery competes against man. Under proper conditions machinery will serve man.“
We don’t need to fear robots replacing humans. Humans can drive purpose and create a more peaceful world with less fear and competition. The qualities we will increasingly value include: authenticity, curiosity, courage, meaning and playfulness.
Integrating Automation
Is it possible that the geniuses creating the robots and human-aided intelligence of tomorrow could invent a more equitable way for us, where we could make a life instead of just a living? What if the robots would be doing most of the manual work, while we had time to explore what it means to be human?
Judy Stakee, author of the award-winning The Songwriter’s Survival Guide, shares: “You can start by changing your story. Did you know that everything in this life is a story? Every book on every shelf is someone’s account, their version of what happened. Go and tell your own story. It’s one the world needs to hear.”