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Much has been written about the prospects of automation in recent years. While many have raised concerns over the threat of technological mass unemployment, others have anticipated a fully automated communist utopia which will provide material abundance to everyone. (De)Automating the Future gathers chapters that critically investigate automation's ambivalences from inter-disciplinary Marxist perspectives. The contributions raise questions about automation's affordances for postcapitalism, its transformation of manual and mental labour, and its role in the intensification of class antagonisms and exploitation.

Artificial intelligence will not necessarily create a super-intelligent “human robot”; however, it is very probable that intelligent robots and intelligent informats will bring about a form of super-globalization, in which money and goods are prioritized over people and democracy and where the widespread use of casual labour – that is, short-term contracts – will become the most common form of employment relationship. It is also very likely that artificial intelligence will bring about what is known as singularity. This term is used to describe a situation where intelligent robots, from a rational and logical perspective, are smarter than humans, i.e. the development of AI. This book explores the impact that these intelligent robots and intelligent informats will have on social and societal development. The author tackles the question of singularity from three distinct standpoints: technological singularity – the intelligence of machines compared to that of humans – which he argues will bring about a qualitatively new labour market; economic singularity – the consequences for work relationships, value creation and employment – which he asserts will promote full automation, result in precarious contracts with low salaries, and, in some countries, possibly lead to the introduction of a universal basic income; and social singularity – the consequences of technological and economic singularity for democratic processes, bureaucratic procedures for exercising authority and control, and the direction in which society will develop, in addition to the emergence of new social institutions – which Johannessen says will promote a transition from representative democracy to genuine democracy. The book will appeal to academics, researchers and students of economic sociology and political economy, as well as those focusing upon the emerging innovation economy. It will also find an audience among professionals and policymakers keen to understand the impact the Fourth Industrial Revolution will have on organizations, individuals and society at large.

This book will examine the history of robotics and explicate what massive automation means for the present and future of labor in all its forms, from mills and factories to the white-collars offices of suburbia and more.While warnings of a robot world-takeover could seem dramatic, the truth is more mundane—robots have come to take our jobs. Winning in the Robotic Workplace: How to Prosper in the Automation Age will teach you the skills needed to reprogram the way you work in anticipation of this technological shift. Author John F. Wasik believes learning to thrive in the automation age can in fact humanize the workplace once again. In Winning in the Robotic Workplace: How to Prosper in the Automation Age, you will learn to emphasize the conceptualization and pursuit of creative ideas, a practice that most robots are unequipped to perform in a meaningful way. You will learn that the successful integration of automated elements with humans is the most effective business model moving forward, and that an eagerness to collaborate demonstrates a will to succeed.

The world is spinning so fast it's difficult to keep up. Two hundred and fifty years ago the Industrial Revolution replaced our arms and legs at work. The fourth Industrial Revolution is now replacing our brains. This technological shift is engulfing organisations and people. It's challenging the very essence of what it means to be human. Daily news headlines pose existential questions that used to belong in the pages of science fiction: Will a machine take my job? Are we becoming cyborgs? What happens when super computers become self-aware? If we can't compete with artificial intelligence, what's left? Innovation guru Greg Orme provides a helpful, funny and supportive shove in the right direction. He explores the skills you need to survive and thrive in a world of artificial intelligence. He urges you to stop competing, and instead do things machines can't. To become a more human, human. This is a practical toolkit to master three intrinsically human ‘super powers': 1. To ignite your innate CURIOSITY in a world of accelerating change… 2. To rediscover your CREATIVITY to produce an avalanche of game-changing ideas… 3. To develop CONNECTIVITY to kindle the passion, persistence and insights to successfully engage fellow humans to turn human creativity into business innovation. These career-enhancing capabilities have been identified in Orme's work with business managers and organisations across the globe. They draw upon the latest psychological and neuroscience research, the unique philosophies of successful entrepreneurs, the practises of the world's most innovative companies, as well as the habits of great artists, designers and scientists. The full text downloaded to your computer With eBooks you can: search for key concepts, words and phrases make highlights and notes as you study share your notes with friends eBooks are downloaded to your computer and accessible either offline through the Bookshelf (available as a free download), available online and also via the iPad and Android apps. Upon purchase, you'll gain instant access to this eBook. Time limit The eBooks products do not have an expiry date. You will continue to access your digital ebook products whilst you have your Bookshelf installed.

Die Menschheit steht vor einer technischen Revolution. Die Digitalisierung verändert grundlegend die Art, wie wir leben und arbeiten. Sie bietet so bisher nicht dagewesene Chancen. Gleichzeitig birgt sie aber auch neue Risiken. Die Furcht vor einer technisch bedingten Massenarbeitslosigkeit existiert bereits seit der ersten industriellen Revolution. Auch in der aktuellen Debatte spielt sie wieder eine große Rolle. Lucas Fobian untersucht in seiner Publikation, inwieweit diese Furcht gerechtfertigt ist. Dafür erkundet er mögliche makroökonomische Auswirkungen der Digitalisierung und analysiert das bedingungslose Grundeinkommen als potentiellen Lösungsansatz. Aus dem Inhalt: - Digitalisierung; - Grundeinkommen; - Automatisierung; - Arbeitslosigkeit; - Künstliche Intelligenz

The purpose of this book project is to analyze why the workplace is changing so rapidly, identify the enabling factors and understand what we can do to best prepare for the future. The analysis led to four significant factors which are all fundamental to the formation of the future world of work. They are the incredible enabling technologies, changing attitudes, workforce demographics and globalization. The rapid and irreversible coalescing of these factors is creating what is referred to in the book as,'The Virtual World of Work or VWOW.'The book covers the changing workplace from the 1960s through to the present, and then looks to see what is emerging next and provides predictions for the future workplace. To assist the readers in tracking their progress, the book provides a segmentation of this time frame into four distinct stages. Each stage is identified by the capabilities specific to the majority of the worker force in each stage. As the work force transitions from one stage to the next, the accumulated enhancements or changes to who, how, where and when tasks are completed is explored. The book project introduces some original thinking and combines this with the knowledge and expertise from the leaders in this new field. The book is organized around five basic questions concerning the virtual world of work. The questions are: ² What is the Virtual World of Work? ² What Factors have Enabled the Virtual World of Work? ² Will the Virtual World of Work Continue? ² How will the Virtual World Work? ² How to Architect the Virtual World of Work? The book covers why the change is happening and how we can better plan for the future virtual world of work. Over 25 million workers in the U.S. work from home at least a few days per month. More and more workers are joining these virtual workers daily and the amount of time worked out of the traditional office is growing even more rapidly. There are literally millions of people who need the information in this book.

An increasing number of people are deciding to work from home. Whether they are setting up their own business or trying to cut down on the amount of time they spend commuting, the idea of turning a space at home into an office is an appealing one. Work well from home helps you make that idea a reality.Filled with help on making working from home work for you, this book covers a range of essential issues including setting up your office, working as part of a virtual team, managing professional relationships, and dealing with feelings of isolation. It contains: a quiz to assess strengths and weaknesses, step-by-step guidance and action points, top tips to bear in mind for the future, common mistakes and advice on how to avoid them, summaries of key points, and lists the best sources of further help.

As the current recession ends, many workers will not be returning to the jobs they once held--those jobs are gone. In The New Division of Labor, Frank Levy and Richard Murnane show how computers are changing the employment landscape and how the right kinds of education can ease the transition to the new job market. The book tells stories of people at work--a high-end financial advisor, a customer service representative, a pair of successful chefs, a cardiologist, an automotive mechanic, the author Victor Hugo, floor traders in a London financial exchange. The authors merge these stories with insights from cognitive science, computer science, and economics to show how computers are enhancing productivity in many jobs even as they eliminate other jobs--both directly and by sending work offshore. At greatest risk are jobs that can be expressed in programmable rules--blue collar, clerical, and similar work that requires moderate skills and used to pay middle-class wages. The loss of these jobs leaves a growing division between those who can and cannot earn a good living in the computerized economy. Left unchecked, the division threatens the nation's democratic institutions. The nation's challenge is to recognize this division and to prepare the population for the high-wage/high-skilled jobs that are rapidly growing in number--jobs involving extensive problem solving and interpersonal communication. Using detailed examples--a second grade classroom, an IBM managerial training program, Cisco Networking Academies--the authors describe how these skills can be taught and how our adjustment to the computerized workplace can begin in earnest.