Review by Choice Review
Robots, with their lightning speed, wipe out middle-skilled work. New jobs inevitably and eventually emerge that require new skills for some former laborers. However, underskilled workers face considerable barriers when seeking new jobs. This scenario has characterized technological innovation and change since the Industrial Revolution of the 18th and 19th centuries. In this short book, Cameron provides an insightful overview of robotics' technological disruption and its impact on the workforce. However, how exactly robots will affect the future is unclear; therefore, Cameron calls upon policy makers to compassionately frame discussions, and prepare for inevitable outcomes and probable impacts by seeking realistic solutions to minimize massive disruptions to the future of jobs. Specifically, decision makers must estimate both the likelihood of long-term unemployment and the economy's capacity to maintain full employment. How extensively will robots disrupt the skill set of the workforce? How likely is it that numerous new jobs will emerge? Are educational institutions equipped to teach the required skills? Cameron injects a tone of urgency in hopes of sending a wake-up call to policymakers, who are ultimately responsible for shaping technological change. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; upper-division undergraduates through professionals. --Jerry Paul Miller, Simmons College, Boston
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
