Robotics in 2038 by Charles

Robotics in 2038 by Charles - February 2018 Scholarship Essay

Technology in the world is continuously progressing and becoming more advanced. Technology has not only become more advanced, but has become a problem solver to many of the world’s problems. Countless inventions and innovations have been helping society in many aspects of everyday life. Technology has become a tool for many things and is used for so much more. Not only has technology changed the way we think but it has changed the way we work. Robotics have become more advanced and sufficient and has been proven to be a tremendous help in several different lines of work. As they continually become more advanced there has been more discoveries on more ways on how to use them in the workforce and there’s been a push to further implement them into the workforce. More robotics in the workforce can mean so many different things for workers; more hours for themselves, less stress at work, and even an increase in productivity. With the correct use and balance of technology in the workforce, it would benefit the workers health as well as the economy. By the year 2038 there will be a more established workforce that will benefit everyone.
One benefit of robotics is there cost efficiency. Today they have become less expensive than actual workers and in some cases employers can pay less while robotics will do more. Hal Sirkin, a senior partner at the Boston Consulting Group, or BCG, and co-author of the firm's series of reports on the shifting economics of global manufacturing, goes on to say that, "’What we're witnessing is that economically, in certain industries, it is now cheaper to use robots than humans’"(CNBC). Outside of Sirkin’s observations, other “Analysts say that the use of robots has moved away from the large, heavy, expensive machines used for the last few decades in industries such as the automotive sector, to much more complicated robots that are capable of carrying out a number of tasks.” (CNBC) Furthermore, the “BCG estimates that by 2025, the adoption of advanced robots will boost productivity by up to 30 percent in many industries, and lower total labor costs by 18 percent or more in the world's biggest exporting countries such as the U.S., China, Japan and Germany.” Sirkin and analysts observe the change in the way we have used robotics overtime. Progressive technology has allowed robots to complete more complicated tasks which is another way to boosting productivity. One example is Baxter, a “collaborative robot launched in 2012 by Rethink Robotics.” Baxter, “works alongside humans on a factory floor to do repetitive tasks and according to Rethink Robotics, is in use across North America by a number of firms.” (CNBC) Other companies have also shown smart use of robots that are vital to their companies success and production. "Our robots are assistants to factory workers, so productivity goes up," said Tadahiro Kawada, president of Kawada Industries, which is a Japanese company that create "collaborative robots.” With smarter robots moving into factories, it can revolutionize work as it will not help workers complete their tasks, but help them finish tasks faster and increase productivity. The increase and production as well as factoring in the cost effectiveness in having pay robots less than actual humans, companies have to look at the benefits of robotics. "Companies have historically outsourced production work to countries with lower labor costs, such as China. As labor costs soar across the world, including in China, the economics of outsourcing becomes very murky," said Elaine Chen, a senior lecturer at MIT Sloan School of Management, where she teaches students entrepreneurship as well as corporate entrepreneurship, primary market research, and organization development for new ventures. Chen has served at the VP level in engineering and product management at several startups which include Rethink Robotics, Zeo, Zeemote and SensAble Technologies. She has worked, built and nurtured countless technical organizations. She added that, "By adopting automation, countries with rising labor costs can get and stay competitive, and can continue to produce affordable goods to serve their end customers." People are starting to realize the effectiveness of robots and are learning to invest in the uprise of collaborative robots. BCG “research suggests that “investment in industrial robots will rise sharply over the next decade to around 10 percent per annum, from annual growth of 2-to-3 percent now.”

In conclusion, although there needs to be a balance to maintain a stable workforce, by 2038 robots will be a way bigger part of the workforce. As they grow more extensively day by day and develop more that can fit into the workforce and can benefit everyone.