How Automation Expands Opportunities for Human Labor, With James Bessen

A vocal group of alarmists worry that the pace of
automation—particularly advances in robotics and artificial
intelligence—will soon displace human labor to such an extent
that many workers will be left with nothing to do. Never mind
that generation after generation of technological innovations in
industries ranging from textiles to steel to banking have always
produced the opposite result: expanding the labor force, not
wiping it out. Rob and Jackie delve into the evidence with Dr.
James Bessen, executive director of the Technology & Policy
Research Initiative (TPRI) at Boston University School of Law and
author of Learning by Doing: The Real Connection Between
Innovation, Wages and Wealth.


Mentioned:


James Bessen, Learning by Doing: The Real Connection Between
Innovation, Wages and Wealth, (Yale University Press, 2015).

James Bessen, et al., “Firm-Level Automation: Evidence from
the Netherlands,” American Economic Association, AEA Papers and
Proceedings, 110: 389-93.

Robert D. Atkinson, “How G7 Nations Can Support and Prepare
for the Next Technology Wave” (ITIF, March 2018).

Technology & Policy Research Initiative (TPRI), Boston
University School of Law.



Related:


ITIF’s @Work Series: “Employment in the Innovation Economy.”

Robert D. Atkinson, “Robots, Automation, and Jobs: A Primer
for Policymakers” (ITIF, May 2017).

Robert D. Atkinson, “Robotics and the Future of Production
and Work” (ITIF, October 2019).

Robert D. Atkinson, “How to Reform Worker-Training and
Adjustment Policies for an Era of Technological Change” (ITIF,
February 2018).