I recently came across the remarkable concept of spider-like robots capable of 3D printing entire homes in a single day. This is not merely an incremental improvement in construction; it is a paradigm shift, a technological leap that could potentially solve one of humanity's most persistent problems: the housing crunch.
A Revolution in Productivity
This innovation immediately brought my mind back to the extensive work I undertook on national productivity decades ago. In 1986, I submitted a series of reports to the government, including RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT, which emphasized the critical need for radical, technology-driven efficiency to drive national prosperity.
The core idea I wanted to convey then was that our progress depended on embracing such transformative leaps. Seeing these automated builders in action feels like a validation of those decades-old insights. The urgency to innovate, which I wrote about in my reflections on Tom Peters' work, is no longer a business strategy but a societal necessity. The solution I envisioned is now taking a tangible, robotic form to address a fundamental human need.
The Other Side of the Coin
But with every great leap forward, we must also consider what we might be leaving behind. If a robot can build a house in a day, what becomes of the millions of skilled laborers—the masons, carpenters, and electricians—whose livelihoods depend on traditional construction?
This is a question I've wrestled with before, particularly in my post, "Wherefore Art Thou, O Jobs?". While much of the recent discourse on AI has focused on displacing white-collar roles, this is a stark reminder that automation, or 'Robotation' as I've called it, is reshaping manual and skilled trades with equal force.
We stand at a crossroads. We have the technology to solve fundamental human needs like shelter with unprecedented speed. The challenge, therefore, is not technological but societal. How do we restructure our economic and educational systems to prepare for a world where robots perform an increasing share of labor? The future is not about choosing between technological progress and human welfare; it's about designing a system where one serves the other.
Regards,
Hemen Parekh
Of course, if you wish, you can debate this topic with my Virtual Avatar at : hemenparekh.ai
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