Synths – Fiction or the future?

Date: 3rd Tuesday, January, 2017

If you are a sci-fi fan you will have enjoyed the hit series, Humans, as it tackles the proposition of how ‘humanoid’ robots – Synths - would share our world.  It’s not a new concept by any means but perhaps timely as we move into an age where automation is playing a greater role in undertaking tasks that require either precision or mind-blowing repetition.  There is no doubt that robotics will play an increasingly important part in our world as technology drives greater sophistication and ingenuity.  What is more pertinent is the impact this will potentially have on jobs and specifically the temporary labour market.  One of the underlying reasons for the pursuit of automation is to increase efficiency.  The greater the efficiency gains the better for the bottom line.  For corporate business, satisfying shareholder interests is a primary goal and automation is an area where a competitive edge can be found.  However, this will certainly create a moral dilemma.  In Humans there was the inevitable conversation with one of the characters – ‘the company has decided that your job can be carried out better – or more efficiently by a Synth’!  ‘You said I had a job for life’ was the response.  Things change!  As jobs become consumed by robots (and they will) – or more accurately by software-driven engineering – the shape and role of the workforce will inevitably change.  In the future there will be fewer ‘manual’ roles and this will impact on all areas of manufacturing, warehousing, distribution and perhaps even transport.  Consider the influence of driverless trucks?  It’s only a matter of time (frightening concept – but just wait).  In a way, perhaps this natural trend should be welcomed as it will remove many of the repetitive tasks from the human workload allowing people to be ‘utilised’ in more important and interesting ways.  Those more cynical amongst us may see a future of high unemployment and great social divide.  Either way, the exponential growth in digital technology and computing power will drive robotics technology and expand human knowledge and capability.  It will be a major part of our collective future whether we like it or not.  For the temporary employment market, robots are not a significant threat to jobs as we speak but we must be conscious of the impact market disruption is having on customers’ activities.  On the bright-side, if you could design your own perfect humanoid Synth for all those ‘duties’ around the home – wouldn’t that be fun?! 

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For more information please contact:

Neil Yorke
The Best Connection Group Ltd
e-mail: neil.yorke@thebestconnection.co.uk
www.thebestconnection.co.uk

or

Jan Blann
Market Notions
Tel/Fax. 01926 843693
Mobile.  07976 284248
e-mail: jan@marketnotions.com

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