Will Robots & AI take over?

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  • I did tell them, in my more fiery and less cautious days, and I was rewarded with a barrage of dung and the accusation that I was an evil entity from the left, paid to troll the internet and promote genocide.

  • STORE cashiers could be increasingly replaced by robot checkouts as a result of minimum wage rises, an economic think tank has warned.

    The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the minimum wage will hit £8.56 an hour by 2020 — up from £7.50 now.

    It warns that will take in “routine” occupations such as store checkout operators — which are among the easiest and cheapest jobs for bosses to automate.

    IFS economist Agnes Norris Keiller said the Government must closely monitor the impact of the minimum wage to ensure it does not encourage employers to opt for robots rather than people.

    Pushing up the minimum wage seems to be a double edged sword regarding employment of less skilled people.

    Personally I'll always try to use a real cashier as I hate those automated monstrosities.

    No doubt shelf stacking will soon be automated as well.

  • Tell that to the benefit funded baby factories.

    Aka: My neighbours. The ones I share a wall with are onto their third kid and the ones immediately to my other side, I've lost count on. I call that family the united colours of Benton - they seem to have one (kid) of each kind - including a ginger...8|

    Pushing up the minimum wage seems to be a double edged sword regarding employment of less skilled people.


    Personally I'll always try to use a real cashier as I hate those automated monstrosities.


    No doubt shelf stacking will soon be automated as well.

    Almost a punch-up in my local Co-Op yesterday, the store only opened a few months ago, but there was minimal staff.

    Generally, there is only one person on the till and people would use the automated tills, if they worked, but they don't. Yesterday was a huge queue and just one person on the till. Only one other person in the store and they were filling up the shelves.

    PONDER OF THE DAY FROM HORIZON:

    We are all assuming that machines and AI will take over? Will they?

    Everyone assumed the UK would stay in the EU as the world rapidly headed towards hegemony. One world, one people, one language etc etc.

    The same as Brexit and Trump, could there be a backlash against the machines?

  • I like machines but they have their place. I tolerate people but if they don't behave I feel the same about them as I do about insect plagues. I hope there will be room in the future for normality.

    An example. Yesterday Mr Wing took the pickup and a friend and his teenage son to fetch a boat motor from the friend's riverside cottage. The kid rode in the back of the "bakkie" which has a canopy.

    I said "he must have enjoyed that!"

    Mr Wing said he doubted he noticed the passing world as he spent the entire time on his phone.

    :(

  • Next it'll be going off on holiday itself. ^^

  • Now when you lose your baggage you just have to hold out your arms and say, "Come to me my precious little polka dot bikini, supertight stretch jeans and waterproof mascara" and your luggage will romp to your side.

    Imagine the airport chaos as every loyal suitcase races home to Mama. ^^

    • Automation and globalisation will boost jobs in British cities over the coming decades, but will also deepen economic and political divisions across the country – with Northern and Midlands cities more exposed to job losses than cities in the South.
    • National and local leaders should act now to prepare people and places for the changes ahead, according to a major new report published today by the think tank Centre for Cities.

    Cities Outlook 2018 is the Centre’s annual health-check on UK city economies, and focuses this year on the potential impact of automation and globalisation in driving both jobs growth and job losses in British cities over the coming decades (1).

    Firstly, it reveals that 1 in 5 existing jobs in British cities are likely to be displaced by 2030 as a result of automation and globalisation – amounting to 3.6m jobs in total – with retail occupations, customer service roles and warehouse jobs among those most at threat.

    Significantly, however, this risk is not spread evenly across the country, with struggling cities in the North and Midlands more exposed to job losses than wealthier cities in the South. Around 18% of jobs are under threat in Southern cities, compared to 23% in cities elsewhere in the country (2).

    I see that Worthing is the 4th least likely place to loose out. The phrase "I'm alright Jack" comes to mind.

  • Thanks for posting that here, Heero.

    I just keep coming back to the same question, "where will the jobs come from?"

    This is not just a case of some jobs being automated in the future, but most, including that of the professions like law and accountancy.

    Although I've no doubt that the North will be hardest hit, I don't think London and the South East will get away with it either.

  • Which makes one wonder, if there is such a threat here, why do we need even more people added to our population.

  • I like the idea of a robot dog. All the niceness of dog ownership without having to go "walkies" on a sleet lashed dark winter morning.

    And it opens doors with its hands. Very practical applications for blind people and other disabled people and the elderly there.

    Also not having to follow it around with a plastic bag to pick up it's crap.

    ^^

    It's certainly cleaner, but you can hardly stroke it or snuggle up to it!

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