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Automation

Is human labor really declining? This is the state of automation in our everyday lives.

Artificial intelligence isn’t a good argument for basic incomeArtificial intelligence isn’t a good argument for basic income
Future Perfect

A major study backed by OpenAI’s Sam Altman shows unconditional cash has benefits that have nothing to do with AI.

By Oshan Jarow
Telephone operation was a good career for women. Then it got automated.Telephone operation was a good career for women. Then it got automated.
Future Perfect

How automation wiped out a whole career for young women — and how young women adapted.

By Dylan Matthews
You may never eat inside a fast food restaurant againYou may never eat inside a fast food restaurant again
Food

As diners increasingly turn to delivery, the future of fast food may be one with no human interaction at all.

By Whizy Kim
How will 2020 Democrats deal with jobs eliminated by artificial intelligence?
We asked 2020 Democratic candidates 7 key questions on technology

The candidates lay out plans to safeguard US workers.

By Emily Stewart and Rani Molla
Basic income can’t do enough to help workers displaced by technologyBasic income can’t do enough to help workers displaced by technology
Future Perfect

Basic income can end poverty, but it can’t save truckers from being replaced by driverless trucks.

By Dylan Matthews
No one has a damn clue how many jobs will be lost to automation
Politics

Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang clashed over a highly misunderstood issue during the Democratic debate.

By Alexia Fernández Campbell
2 charts refuting Trump’s claim that “airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly”2 charts refuting Trump’s claim that “airplanes are becoming far too complex to fly”
Politics

Trump may not want “Einstein” to be his pilot, but the data indicates automation works.

By Aaron Rupar
How worried should we be about artificial intelligence? I asked 17 experts.How worried should we be about artificial intelligence? I asked 17 experts.
Technology

“We should take seriously the possibility that things could go radically wrong.”

By Sean Illing
These factory workers get paid to go to schoolThese factory workers get paid to go to school
Play
Video

Can we make apprenticeships great again?

By Kimberly Mas
The robot-proof job men aren’t takingThe robot-proof job men aren’t taking
Play
Video

Nursing is the job of the future. Why is its workforce still 90 percent female?

By Liz Scheltens
Why the rise of the robots won’t mean the end of workWhy the rise of the robots won’t mean the end of work
Play
Video

An economist vs a futurist on whether robots will put us out of work.

By Joss Fong
A basic income really could end poverty foreverA basic income really could end poverty forever
Politics

But to become a reality, it needs to get detailed and stop being oversold.

By Dylan Matthews
Thank God I don't work at Whole Foods anymoreThank God I don't work at Whole Foods anymore
Technology

Whole Foods wasn’t a great job. But it was a job. Under Amazon, it’s not clear how many workers will make the cut.

By Nick Rahaim
Good news: automation already destroyed most of the jobsGood news: automation already destroyed most of the jobs
Technology

What Starbucks tells us about automation and the future of jobs.

By Timothy B. Lee
The automation myth: Robots aren’t taking your jobs— and that’s the problem
Technology

Faster-than-ever technological and economic change is a myth. In fact, productivity is slowing down — and that’s the biggest problem we face.

By Matthew Yglesias