Martin Ford is the founder of a
Silicon Valley-based software development firm. He has over 25
years experience in the fields of computer design and
software development. He holds a computer enginnering degree
from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a graduate
business degree from the University of California, Los
Angeles.
Is Economists’ belief in the Luddite
fallacy still
reasonable in the face
of exponentially advancing information technology?
Economists almost universally believe in
something called the “Luddite fallacy” — which basically
says that advancing technology will always create more jobs
than it destroys. In other words, any fear that technology
will never cause widespread, long term unemployment is a
fallacy. This has always been true in the past. Will it hold
true indefinitely? Will advanced technologies such as robotics and artificial
intelligence (AI) ultimately change the economic rules?
The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future
This new book takes an in depth look at current trends in information technology and globalization and examines what the likely economic impact will be in the coming years and decades.Here are just a few of the questions explored in this book:
How will job automation impact the economy in the future?
How will the offshore outsourcing trend evolve in the coming years?
What impact will technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence have on the job market?
Did technology play a significant role in the 2007 subprime meltdown and the subsequent global financial crisis and recession?
Globalization. Collaboration. Telecommuting. Are these the forces that will shape the workplaces of the future? Or is there something bigger lurking?
How fast can we expect technological change to occur in the coming years and decades?
Which jobs and industries are likely to be most vulnerable to automation and outsourcing?
Machine and computer automation will primarily impact low skilled and low paid workers. True or false?
Will advancing technology always make society as a whole more wealthy? Or could it someday cause a severe economic depression?
What are the implications of advancing automation technology for developing nations such as China and India?
Will a college education continue to be a good bet in the future?
Recent economic data suggests that, in United States, we are seeing increasing income inequality and a dwindling middle class. How will this trend play out in the future?
What will be the economic impact of truly advanced future technologies, such as nanotechnology?
Retail positions at Wal-Mart and other chain stores have become the jobs of last resort for many workers. Will robots and other forms of machine automation someday threaten these jobs? If so, what alternatives will the economy create for these workers?
