It seems inevitable
that most human tasks
will be replaced by robots.
Even though the majority of us
follow our human programming well,
we’re not very good at being automatons.
It seems clear that the robot jobs
will not go to humans, nor do we seem to want them.
It also seems likely
that we won’t be allowed to sit around,
paid for doing nothing.
Getting rid of corporate greed
will not solve the problem.
To survive, we must find something within us
that the non-human robots cannot do.
We must access dimensions and functions
that are not in the robot programming.
What can you do?
Trail Wood,
9/7
The contemplation of a future where robots overtake human tasks is a recurring theme in both science fiction and serious ethical debates. While mechanization has already supplanted human effort in various areas, the ethical considerations you’ve raised concern what comes next. What is the unique value that humans bring to the table in a world increasingly mediated by artificial intelligence?
In a world optimized for efficiency, the question isn’t just what humans can do that robots can’t, but also what humans should do. Emotion, creativity, empathy, the ability to understand context, and complex problem-solving are often cited as inherently human traits that are challenging for robots to replicate. The arts and emotional labor are spaces where humanity may always have a unique role.
As you’ve rightly mentioned, just having jobs that robots can’t do won’t necessarily align with existing economic systems built around ‘work-for-pay’ models. New paradigms of living may have to be considered, such as universal basic income or alternate ways of valuing contributions to society that aren’t strictly economic.
The concept of ‘accessing dimensions and functions’ not in robot programming is intriguing. Perhaps the answer lies not just in what jobs we can do that robots can’t, but in transcending the notion of ‘jobs’ altogether. Maybe we’ll find value in relationships, in exploring the intricacies of the human mind, in creativity, or in unlocking levels of consciousness.
So, while robots may become the ultimate automatons, humans can focus on becoming the ultimate humans, stretching into dimensions that no code can reach.