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Automation: is it really different this time?

Author

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  • Wajcman, Judy
Abstract
This review examines several recent books that deal with the impact of automation and robotics on the future of jobs. Most books in this genre predict that the current phase of digital technology will create massive job loss in an unprecedented way, that is, that this wave of automation is different from previous waves. Uniquely digital technology is said to automate professional occupations for the first time. This review critically examines these claims, puncturing some of the hyperbole about automation, robotics and Artificial Intelligence. The review argues for a more nuanced analysis of the politics of technology and provides some critical distance on Silicon Valley's futurist discourse. Only by insisting that futures are always social can public bodies, rather than autonomous markets and endogenous technologies, become central to disentangling, debating and delivering those futures.

Suggested Citation

  • Wajcman, Judy, 2017. "Automation: is it really different this time?," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 69811, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:69811
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/69811/
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Filippi, Emilia & Bannò, Mariasole & Trento, Sandro, 2023. "Automation technologies and the risk of substitution of women: Can gender equality in the institutional context reduce the risk?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    2. Ossewaarde, Marinus, 2019. "Digital transformation and the renewal of social theory: Unpacking the new fraudulent myths and misplaced metaphors," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 24-30.
    3. Crowley, Frank & Doran, Justin, 2019. "Automation and Irish Towns: Who's Most at Risk?," SRERC Working Paper Series SRERCWP2019-1, University College Cork (UCC), Spatial and Regional Economic Research Centre (SRERC).
    4. Prem Borle & Kathrin Reichel & Susanne Voelter-Mahlknecht, 2021. "Is There a Sampling Bias in Research on Work-Related Technostress? A Systematic Review of Occupational Exposure to Technostress and the Role of Socioeconomic Position," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-22, February.
    5. Búi K Petersen & James Chowhan & Gordon B Cooke & Ray Gosine & Peter J Warrian, 2023. "Automation and the future of work: An intersectional study of the role of human capital, income, gender and visible minority status," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(3), pages 703-727, August.
    6. CELI, Giuseppe & VITI, Domenico, 2018. "Land Use, Internal Mobility And External Immigration In Italy," Annals of Spiru Haret University, Economic Series, Universitatea Spiru Haret, vol. 18(3), pages 23-43.
    7. Filippi, Emilia & Bannò, Mariasole & Trento, Sandro, 2023. "Automation technologies and their impact on employment: A review, synthesis and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    8. Damian Kedziora & Hanna-Maija Kiviranta, 2018. "Digital Business Value Creation with Robotic Process Automation (rpa) in Northern and Central Europe," Management, University of Primorska, Faculty of Management Koper, vol. 13(2), pages 161-174.
    9. Jean-Philippe Deranty & Thomas Corbin, 2022. "Artificial Intelligence and work: a critical review of recent research from the social sciences," Papers 2204.00419, arXiv.org.
    10. Turja, Tuuli & Särkikoski, Tuomo & Koistinen, Pertti & Melin, Harri, 2022. "Basic human needs and robotization: How to make deployment of robots worthwhile for everyone?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    11. Butollo, Florian, 2021. "Digitalization and the geographies of production: Towards reshoring or global fragmentation?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 25(2), pages 259-278.
    12. Chris Warhurst & Wil Hunt, 2019. "The Digitalisation of Future Work and Employment. Possible impact and policy responses," JRC Working Papers on Labour, Education and Technology 2019-05, Joint Research Centre.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Technology; work; automation; robots;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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