Steven Anderson

CST 300L
September 28 2016
Machine Learning: The Dangers of Job Automation

I. The dangers of machine learning.

A. The danger of job automation due to machine learning is a potential problem that

needs to be analyzed.

1. Job loss due to technological advancements has been an issue in the past

but does there need to be intervention or will people move on to other jobs

as advancement takes place.

2. Due to the usage of machine learning jobs are in the process of being

automated. Jobs such as truck drivers could be put out of work due to self

driving car technology which would leave many in the workforce

potentially out of work.

B. There are many different major players that are interested in job automation via

machine learning.

1. Should would be careful about automation and will people be able to

move to other jobs?

a) If care is not taken we may have large parts of the workforce that

no longer can perform their job as their is now a machine that has

taken their place.

b) When automation takes place will anything be done to help the

workers?
 c) Many workers such as truck drivers may be hard to move into

another sector of the workforce.

2. People will be able to move to other jobs due to advancements in

technology.

a) Automation will enhance jobs which will open up other

opportunities for workers.

b) Workers will be displaced but they can move into other areas that

are brought about by automation.

II. Evidence

A. There are many different arguments of what to do about job automation due to

machine learning. Two arguments are that machine learning will enhance jobs and

the other is machine learning will displace many jobs and will cause issues for

those displaced.

1. Go forward with automation may cause issues with workers moving into

other jobs.

2. Go forward with automation and jobs will fill in due to automation

bringing in new types of jobs.

B. Each argument based on automation will need to be thought out carefully to

ensure the economic safety of the workers.

1. Giving additional social benefits to a worker well help the transition to a

new job become easier but the workers may become complacent.
 2. If workers are not given additional social benefits they can already use

social benefits that are in place and can find new jobs that are now needed

due to the increase in the automation. Jobs have already been automated in

the past so there is likely nothing that needs to be done different.

III. Influence of context and assumptions

A. Assumptions of job automation via machine learning.

1. The whole debate of job automation via machine learning is very much up

in the air. We really do not know what will happen to the workforce at

large that gets displaced. While the work force could move on we do not

know what exactly the working environment will look like at that time.

2. My stance I believe mostly falls under normative ethics due to wanting to

help those who will likely need to be helped instead of letting the problem

be sorted out on its own.

B. Concessions of job automation via machine learning.

1. The two major benefit to not including additional benefits or help to

workers that are displaced by automation is that it will be less of a burden

on the economy and workers will have a better incentive to better

themselves.

2. With the benefits already in place at least in the United States additional

aid may not be needed, as well some sort of aid may already be in place

that can help move workers into a new career.

 3. Providing additional aid to workers depending on what type of aid would

likely be a large financial burden.

IV. My position on the dangers of job automation with machine learning.

A. As machine learning become a more prominent field of study we are at risk for

mass job displacement, we need to take additional steps to make sure workers are

taken care of while transitioning to a new line of work.

B. We need to be careful when we decide to automate jobs to look at the effects on

job displacement and what can be done to help those that are displaced from

work.

C. What needs to be done when people are displaced from their job?

1. Giving workers additional help may be the only way to get many people

back into the workforce.

2. When workers are displaced we should not disregard giving them

additional help to get moved into a different career.

V. Implications and consequences

A. I continue to support providing additional help to workers as a viable solution to

help combat loss of work when automation claims many different jobs. If we do

not provide additional benefits we are likely to have a large workforce that will

need assistance to move to other areas. Supporting additional benefits falls in line

with normative ethics.

 Summary

Due to the usage of machine learning job automation is already on the horizon. The

consequences for workers needs to be thought about on what to do to ensure their economic

longevity. There are two main sides to the argument, those being that we should be careful and

think through what we are going to do as people who work in certain industries may not be able

to go over to a different industry very efficiently and the other being that automation will create

new jobs that will help.

If old jobs are automated a large part of the work force is going to have to move to a new

field. In a lot of fields people will have a hard time moving to different fields because it is a large

enough field that has a large group of people which their field is primarily what they do such as a

number of truck drivers. I believe that providing additional aid to workers when automation is

being put into place will help the workforce to move quicker and not end up falling out of the

workforce which is a likely possibility. If nothing is done there is also a good possibility that

people who worked in jobs previously that are automated will be able to move into new jobs.

The idea is that automation will enhance jobs and will allow workers to work in some areas still

but will have their work improved by machines.

Overall time will tell what will need to be done when workers are displaced because of

automation due to machine learning. Whether workers will need additional help or if the

workforce will sort itself out will be seen with time. Whatever needs to happen hopefully the

workforce is not hindered by automation and automation can be a driving force for making the

workforce more efficient.

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