AI, Automation and the Future of Work

Succinctly put: what and why should we address these problems with new tech?  We struggled with  the same thing when we started with this in the 90s. We were already using analytical and statistical methods, but if we had to ratchet up the tech, which problems deserved it?  Which were most risky?  We worried less about the labor implications until we proved we could it at all. What resources did we need?  McKinsey as usual states it well.

AI, automation, and the future of work: Ten things to solve for
By James Manyika and Kevin Sneader

As machines increasingly complement human labor in the workplace, we will all need to adjust to reap the benefits.

Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are transforming businesses and will contribute to economic growth via contributions to productivity. They will also help address “moonshot” societal challenges in areas from health to climate change.

At the same time, these technologies will transform the nature of work and the workplace itself. Machines will be able to carry out more of the tasks done by humans, complement the work that humans do, and even perform some tasks that go beyond what humans can do. As a result, some occupations will decline, others will grow, and many more will change.

While we believe there will be enough work to go around (barring extreme scenarios), society will need to grapple with significant workforce transitions and dislocation. Workers will need to acquire new skills and adapt to the increasingly capable machines alongside them in the workplace. They may have to move from declining occupations to growing and, in some cases, new occupations.

This executive briefing, which draws on the latest research from the McKinsey Global Institute, examines both the promise and the challenge of automation and AI in the workplace and outlines some of the critical issues that policy makers, companies, and individuals will need to solve for.

Accelerating progress in AI and automation is creating opportunities for businesses, the economy, and society

How AI and automation will affect work

Key workforce transitions and challenges

Ten things to solve for  .... "