Artificial Intelligence : Destroyer of Privacy ?

The Unstoppable March of Robots: From Factories to Our Lives

I was struck by a recent report from The New York Times, detailing that China now has more factory robots than the rest of the world combined, with over two million at work "There Are More Robots Working in China Than the Rest of the World Combined". This isn't just a statistic; it's a profound marker of an accelerating shift in our global industrial landscape, a transformation I have been contemplating for years.

The Scale of Automation

Two million factory robots working tirelessly across China is an astonishing number, signifying a manufacturing revolution unlike any before. It speaks to an efficiency and scale that redefines production. This dominance highlights a future I've often mused about, where automation isn't just a supporting act but a central character in economic and societal evolution. It makes me reflect on how the march of technology, particularly in robotics and artificial intelligence, continues to outpace our collective imagination.

My Reflections on an Automated Future

Looking back, I remember writing about the pervasive nature of AI and robots as far back as 2017. In my blog, "Artificial Intelligence : Destroyer of Privacy ?", I envisioned a scenario where AI-powered entities, much like personal assistants, would not only observe our behaviors but learn from them, influencing our lives in ways we might not even consciously perceive. I spoke of this extensive transformation, and even earlier, in 2015, I pondered a concept I termed the "Second Industrial Revolution" in a blog post titled "SECOND INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION ?".

The First Industrial Revolution, born in Britain with the steam engine, dramatically multiplied human power, enabling one man to achieve the work of ten. This invention sharply increased human productivity, leading to the rapid proliferation of factories across Britain, the USA, and Europe. However, it took over a century for this revolution to reach the developing nations of Asia and Africa. Under colonial rule, these countries were exploited, forced to export raw materials cheaply and import expensive finished goods.

As emerging economies, particularly China, began to catch up using their affordable labor, developed countries grew concerned about competition. Importers of finished goods transformed into exporters, challenging the traditional industrial powers. It became evident that Western nations were not content to see their standard of living diminish. They began to gear up for what I foresaw as the "Second Industrial Revolution," driven by robots.

I envisioned robots revolutionizing every sector: manufacturing cars, appliances, and machinery; enabling 3D printing of products from designs downloaded from the internet; managing healthcare in hospitals; serving food in restaurants; undertaking office jobs; teaching in schools; and even providing entertainment. This wasn't just about replacing manual labor; it was about unleashing a new era of efficiency.

These robots, I noted, would work 24 hours a day without demanding a salary. They wouldn't "go slow" or go on strike, nor would they demand quotas or reservations. They would not take holidays or sick leave, resign, or demand promotions. They wouldn't envy other robots or engage in sabotage, complain about unpleasant work, or get tired and need rest. Their production wouldn't drop after eight hours, and they wouldn't demand overtime pay. Critically, robots would perfectly coordinate their tasks with others and willingly "retire" at any age, whenever required, without demanding unemployment or retirement benefits. I even mused that some day, they might provide emotional support when we are sick or depressed.

This "Second Industrial Revolution," I believed, would not take a hundred years to reach shores like India. With the rapid spread of "Digital India," the Internet, and mobile applications, I predicted it could take no more than 20 years. This raises a crucial question: should we fear its arrival due to potential unemployment and try to stall it? Or, should our self-employed individuals and startups expedite its integration and imaginatively leverage it to create a hundred new jobs for each one lost? I strongly advocated then, and still do now, for initiatives that convert job-seekers into job-creators, such as a "Start Up Act" to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the face of such profound technological shifts.

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Regards,
[Hemen Parekh] Any questions? Feel free to ask my Virtual Avatar at hemenparekh.ai