Four Futures: Life After Capitalism review – will robots bring utopia or terror?
The idea that computers will soon steal our jobs is an article of faith among many of the world's most powerful people. The argument goes like this: breakthroughs in robotics and artificial intelligence will make it possible to automate various kinds of labour. Self-driving cars will replace taxi and truck drivers; software will replace lawyers and accountants. We'll end up with a world where machines do almost all of the work.
Over the last few years, a growing chorus of pundits, academics and executives have made this scenario seem inevitable - and imminent. There are many reasons to be sceptical of their claims. But even if you accept the argument that mass automation is around the corner, you might find yourself wondering what a post-work future would look like. Would it be a heaven or a hell, or somewhere in between?
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