Robots began entering the workplace about sixty years ago. Since then, the trend has been accelerating. Technology advances have helped, of course; but our familiarity with them has also aided the increase. Recently, finances, the pandemic, and the Great Resignation have encouraged companies to hire robots rather than people. The early robots were fixed-function robots, designed to do one and only one task. More modern robots are more general purpose and adaptable. In the most recent year, companies increased robot purchases by 37%.
“An estimated 85 million jobs may be displaced by this shift from human to machine workers by 2025.” – World Economic Forum
And yet,
“…automation will create 58 million more jobs than it displaces.” – World Economic Forum
One caution is that robots don’t pay taxes, which affects government operations. Another caution is that only some of the people who were displaced by robots can switch to the jobs that are being created. The general affect on the economy may be positive, but the personal cost is high and potentially disruptive.
Pretending Not To Panic 
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