Are We Going Away With Automation?

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i think there's two big questions here. What is the role of increased automation? With going away? We're not decreasing the amount of automation, right? And then is there some sense in which any of these innovations can actually help workers, can give them a bit more agency? Or is it all just a downhill spiral from here on in? Ye, i mean, i think what we're seeing in the kind of the nature of work in general is this kind of polarization. A lot of people have been pushed down the scale of income into jobs that are more managed by algero them.

As the holidays approach, we are being reminded of the fragility of the global supply chain. But at the same time, the supply chain itself is a truly impressive and fascinating structure, made as it is from multiple components that must work together in synchrony. From building an item in a factory and shipping it worldwide to transporting it locally, processing it in a distribution center, and finally delivering it to an address, the system is simultaneously awe-inspiring and deeply dehumanizing. I talk with Christopher Mims about how things are made, how they get to us, and what it all means for the present and future of our work and our lives.

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Christopher Mims received a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience and behavioral biology from Emory University. He is currently a technology columnist at The Wall Street Journal. He has previously written for publications such as Wired, Scientific American, The Atlantic, and Smithsonian. His new book is Arriving Today: From Factory to Front Door — Why Everything Has Changed About How and What We Buy.

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