There are many ways in which machines are altering our lives for the better. They can perform a lot of tasks that humans cannot: repetitive work and at lightning speed. This feature comes in handy to save time and ease work. Automation (noun): a special term that refers to the ability of machines to do their work without assistance from humans. In other words, they enable machines to perform tasks independently without the need for human control.
Automation has been in the works for many years prior to some of our births. In ancient days, men used basic premises like pulleys and levers to facilitate them with multiple tasks. These machines assisted humans in heavy lifting and expedite work. Then over time, machines became increasingly complex and they were able to perform additional functions. Now we have robots and smart computers that are starting to do things humans never dreamt possible. Well, for instance, we already have robots that can do car assembling and also others that even help with surgeries in hospitals!
So much good can come from automated technology. It can do a lot of good, like getting people to work fast and wisely. Which translates to getting more done in lesser time! It can also minimize human-made error which further enhances work safety and security. Automation frees people to do higher-value work that demands greater creativity and critical thinking. Now, there is the downside of it as well. Automated machines are costly to implement and maintain, for example. Also the jobs of few people will be at loss due to their work being taken up by machines. That can be quite alarming for families and neighborhoods.
In the future, jobs will definitely be altered by automation. On the one hand, some jobs that exist may be taken over by machines; on the other hand, new efficient jobs will result from automation. Thus, with the technological developments in our world, developing new skills is essential for individuals to constantly be useful in their workplaces. Therefore, learning helps workers keep their jobs as well as enter new ones. Moreover, businesses and industries will also have to make changes due to automation. So workers will need to band the latest methods to work amongst machines.
While robots can complete some tasks better than humans, they cannot run faster than humans. Robots are restrained by their design and programming. They may be faster, and more efficient at doing some things, but cannot change or evolve as easily as a human can. There are certain tasks that humans can do, such as thinking and solving problems, that robots cannot. If a robot is programmed to do one specific task, if an unpredictable incident takes place, it may find it difficult at this point. On the contrary, humans can adapt and find different solutions.
A lot of organizations are in the fight for greater use of automation. They are seeking to be more timely and cut costs with how they operate. But this implies risks for people and society that we need to carefully consider. While automating things we need to be careful as there is a chance of relinquishing our human values & dignity. To address these challenges and build a better collective future, we need the balance of technology with people around it.
Automation has big and positive glassy future. There's a good chance that machines will only become more intelligent and better at what they do, with time. But we also need to be using automation in ways that benefit all segments of society. That is taking responsibility of the creation and usage of those technologies.