Well known tech journalist and analyst Tom Foremski's Futurists ... and the 'End of Work' looks at the employment disruption being caused by digital technologies.
He argues that technology is destroying more jobs that it's creating, leading to a potential future where there simply isn't enough work to go around. Key quote from the article:
We face a future that will be defined by the end of work - it can become a golden age or one of horrific consequences. Horrific because we have no means of dealing with this type of future. We have nothing that has prepared us for it. We only know how to punish and ridicule those that don't work. But what if there is no need to work?
A good example of this is Yobot (shown in the 30 second video below), the luggage storing robot at the Yotel Hotel in New York city. It replaces a bell boy by automatically storing your luggage.
We're more optimistic about the future of work than Tom appears to be. But we agree automation, technoloy and global competition means work will be very different in the future.
We think more people are going to have to create or invent their own jobs. This is why we are focused on studying the growing role of the independent worker and independent economy.
We admit the jury is still out on whether or not the independent path will be successful for most people. But based on our research, we're cautiously optimistic many can achieve success this way.
We'll have more on the independent economy in the coming weeks.
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