Industrial Automation Magazine India

Countries like India are in a tricky situation

Published on : Tuesday 30-11--0001

Across the world, humans have started Coexisting With Robots^TM, nonstop. One of the biggest impact areas of this coexistence is on jobs, work and professions that, until now, only humans have done. But, that is changing very fast and in the most unpredictable ways. As a result, many questions are emerging.

Are robots a boon or a threat to human beings, especially when it comes to jobs?

This is a wrong way to look at Coexisting With Robots^TM. Because, it is not an "either" this "or" that situation.

Every job is being and will be affected. Robots are augmenting humans as well as replacing humans. You have an industrial arm supporting workers on the assembly line in one situation and in another situation, the same or a different robotic arm is acting independently – without any or little human input. The context is defining how organisations are using robots, with and without humans.

Is the robots-taking-jobs argument exaggerated, as there are still jobs waiting to be filled?

Yes, at first, 'robots-taking-jobs' arguments seems exaggerated. Because, nobody really knows how many jobs robots will actually destroy or create. Humans will always create new jobs. There will always be jobs that remain unfilled for a variety of reasons. That does not mean that 'robots-taking-job' argument is silly or not real.

Take a look at two facts.

First, every time an organisation adds a robot, the human did not get hired for that task. So, it is not just that robots are replacing humans or will do so more. In a growing number of cases (and, it is just the beginning), humans are not even picked for the job.

Second, there is no area of human endeavour where robots are not being applied to or getting ready for. There is even a robot to pick raspberries, a fruit that requires extreme care.

When these two facts are combined, a new picture emerges: what kinds of work humans will do? A lot of thinking and 'work' happening around the world to solve this puzzle.

While robots are adapting fast to new roles, are their human counterparts slow in doing so?

Robots are lucky. They do not have to go through the million-year long human evolution. They can simply tap the human IQ (intelligence quotient) and become functional. In doing so, they can take on new roles.

This is an incredibly challenging situation for humans. The human IQ is being turned into code and given to robots so that they (robots) could coexist in a human-friendly manner. If robots are getting the smarts that have made humans successful, what kind of IQ should humans develop next? This time, of course, humans will also be competing against robots for jobs and work. So, the new IQ has to give humans the ability to not only compete with one another but also the smarts to coexist with, and compete against, robots.

ALGOTIENT^TM (algotient.com) is the new IQ that humans will need to survive and succeed in the algorithmic age that is coming from and reaching all corners of the world.

Compared to the advanced economies, robot penetration in India is still low. Will there be a dramatic change in the near future?

Countries like India are in a tricky situation. On one hand, it is a developing economy with a huge population. People need work. The country needs to grow and take people forward.

On the other hand, robots are already ready (or will be soon) to do any job. Technology is central to achieving growth and competitive advantage.

How should India balance the two? Develop a new, solid and clear vision. When such a vision is ready, it will become clear how to take people forward while taking advantage of robots.

Finally, will man and robot co-exist in harmony?

Coexisting With Robots^TM is the most fundamental shift since the dawn of humanity. Humans have never coexisted with another advanced intelligence before. And, this advanced intelligence – called robots – has not arrived for a short duration or to observe only. It is ready to do any job and work that humans have done, are doing and will be doing. This changes everything.

As a result, Coexisting With Robots^TM will not be without failures and fights. But, it is here and is not going away, ever. It will probably take a couple of generations before Coexisting With Robots^TM becomes a DNA of the human existence.

Coexisting With Robots^TM and ALGOTIENT^TM are trademarks of Aseem Prakash.

Aseem Prakash is a world’s leading AI business strategist. He works at Center for Innovating the Future in Toronto, Canada. He coined the word, ALGOTIENT^TM. Aseem specialises in reskilling leaders for the new algorithmic age and innovating strategies for Coexisting With Robots^TM and profiting from AI. (Websites: Algotient.com and InnovatingFuture.com)