The fear of wide-spread automation is omnipresent. An economic report of the Obama administration states that 80% of jobs that require little skill and pay less than 20$ per hour will vanish or be replaced by robots. A more recent study in Germany shows that more than 50% of the future employees (who are now between 16 – 20 years old) feel concerned that the digitalization will have a negative effect on their jobs/future.
But how can this be? Isn’t this the same age group that breathes internet and lives digital media? Shouldn’t they of all people welcome more digitalization in the future? (US teenagers spend up to 9 hours per day with digital/screen media.)
You understand where I’m heading …
21st century will mark a pivotal point in human history. We are standing at the verge of a new age where an unprecedented kind of collective advancement can be possible. Through digitalization the humans will finally have more time to concentrate on things that really matter and on things that only humans can do. But what is it that makes us unique?
We all need to take responsibility to answer this question. And we have to decide for ourselves – and for our children; what role we want to play: Consumer or creator?