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Toil and Technology
Article

Toil and Technology

Innovative Technology Is Displacing Workers to New Jobs Rather Than Replacing Them Entirely

James Bessen
IMF, 2015
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Recommendation

Robots and computers are not the enemies of job creation, but they are changing how work is done and who does it, according to economic innovation expert James Bessen. His brief but insightful article describes how “smart machines” – from automated teller machines to computers that can diagnose breast cancer – are stepping into territories that humans once dominated. But Bessen adroitly points out that while technology has replaced some workers, it has actually generated more and different jobs requiring diverse skill sets. getAbstract recommends his timely report to human resources executives and policy makers.

Summary

While automation has taken jobs from some laborers in certain industries in the United States, it has catapulted many more workers into different posts requiring diverse skill sets. If the past is any indication, however, it can take years for labor markets and training facilities to catch up with technological innovation. This learning lag for specialized skills, rather than the new technology itself, is the biggest threat to employment expansion. Among the major occupational groups, only manufacturing – in which workers tend not to use computers – has seen job...

About the Author

Economic innovation scholar James Bessen is the author of Learning by Doing: The Real Connection Between Innovation, Wages and Wealth.

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