Author: Samantha Radocchia / Source: Forbes
As the ability to automate various functions in everyday life increases, more people are beginning to worry about becoming obsolete in the new economy.
Industry news has everyone from accountants to restaurant staff on the chopping block. And in a society that values work above practically all else, losing one’s place in the economy is a terrifying thought.
Automation will undoubtedly pose a threat to some jobs. And yet, automation isn’t perfect.
For instance, I know of a tech company in San Francisco that was using software to pull their revenue from different zip codes. But there were two zip codes in San Francisco and San Jose that overlapped, and the software didn’t know what to do. So, it didn’t register anything from that area, which happened to include a substantial amount of revenue. If a human hadn’t double checked the report, key numbers would have been missed.
New technology is great at using an input to create a certain output. But that always leads us back to the idea of “garbage in, garbage out.” Many of these systems are still created by humans, who are imperfect and prone to mistakes.
Sensors break. Systems encounter unfamiliar situations. Technology opens up new, unforeseen issues. And humans are necessary for solving the problems automated services can’t.
To ignore the human element in tech is to miss the larger point: Technology should be about empowering people to live their best lives, not making them fearful of the future. Here’s why:
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