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Elon Musk’s Terrifying Prediction About Long-Term Mass Unemployment Could Affect Us All
What does the billionaire propose? How can this crisis be averted?
Billionaire Elon Musk made a terrifying prediction about everlasting mass unemployment that will see thousands of jobs disappear altogether.
And no, the billionaire is not talking about individual job roles at companies all around the world.
He is instead referring to entire professions being wiped out as automation and robots take over.
It’s not just ‘menial jobs’ that are at risk either. Everyone from supermarket cashiers to mortgage advisors and copywriters could be replaced by AI and robots in a matter of years.
This alarming trend has already started
At my local supermarket, checkouts are rarely manned by actual people.
There is usually one cashier on duty, while shoppers are encouraged to use self-checkouts.
There are usually 10 active self-checkouts at a time, with a single person monitoring use and helping shoppers if an error comes up.
The supermarket is, in essence, operating 10–11 checkouts at the same time. Previously, they would need 11 cashiers to achieve this.
Now, they need two staff members.
There are huge savings for the supermarket in terms of labor, to be sure. But, there are also nine fewer jobs in the community. That is a huge decrease in percentage terms. And that’s just one community.
Still, companies will always put profits above people. After all, the shareholders need their dividends.
Musk’s Tesla Bot could replace physical labor by 2023
The Tesla Bot’s first prototype is due to be released in a matter of months. And by 2023, the robot might be available commercially, ready to perform physical tasks like picking up groceries.
