How long before the collapse?

[Nimos]

As most people are probably aware robotics is on the rise, so decided to watch a presentation about the future of robotics:

And were wondering, since more and more jobs are lost to robots and these do not buy stuff, how long will it take before there is not enough purchasing power left in the world to keep things running, have anyone thought about this and want to share their views?

Because to me, this seems quite self destructive and not really sure how people are suppose to support them self in the future.

 

[Terry Sampson]

... to me, this seems quite self destructive and not really sure how people are suppose to support them self in the future.

Selling blood and body parts?

 

[Stevicus]

As most people are probably aware robotics is on the rise, so decided to watch a presentation about the future of robotics:

And were wondering, since more and more jobs are lost to robots and these do not buy stuff, how long will it take before there is not enough purchasing power left in the world to keep things running, have anyone thought about this and want to share their views?

Because to me, this seems quite self destructive and not really sure how people are suppose to support them self in the future.

It doesn't have to be that way. If automation can perform all the necessary functions and tasks to maintain society and sustain the populace, then there's no real need to enslave or exploit anyone. Most of the time throughout human history, there typically hasn't been enough labor, which is why it was so often forced, either through serfdom or slavery.

Now, we're facing the opposite problem, where we could have more people than needed to do the work of society.

 

[Nakosis]

As most people are probably aware robotics is on the rise, so decided to watch a presentation about the future of robotics:

And were wondering, since more and more jobs are lost to robots and these do not buy stuff, how long will it take before there is not enough purchasing power left in the world to keep things running, have anyone thought about this and want to share their views?

Because to me, this seems quite self destructive and not really sure how people are suppose to support them self in the future.

Someone has to maintain the robots. Someone has to design them, someone has to program them. Someone has to sell them.

 

[Stevicus]

Someone has to maintain the robots. Someone has to design them, someone has to program them. Someone has to sell them.

Yes, for now. However, there may come a time where robots will maintain them, design them, program them, and sell them.

Is that a real robot or someone wearing a costume?

 

[anna.]

Anyone seen the Black Mirror episode Metalhead? Could be a bleak future...

 

[Nakosis]

Yes, for now. However, there may come a time where robots will maintain them, design them, program them, and sell them.

Hopefully by that time, robots will be able to maintain us as well. That seems to be the intent anyway. Serve our food, plow the fields, raise the kids, etc...

Is that a real robot or someone wearing a costume?

I think it might be @Rival. Not sure if she is real or AI though.

 

[Nimos]

Selling blood and body parts?

How much is a kidney worth?

Also that might not last, as they are working on growing artificial parts as well.

 

[Stevicus]

Hopefully by that time, robots will be able to maintain us as well. That seems to be the intent anyway. Serve our food, plow the fields, raise the kids, etc...

And the only thing humans would have to do is sit around, sleep, eat - and enjoy a life of ease.

 

[Nimos]

It doesn't have to be that way. If automation can perform all the necessary functions and tasks to maintain society and sustain the populace, then there's no real need to enslave or exploit anyone. Most of the time throughout human history, there typically hasn't been enough labor, which is why it was so often forced, either through serfdom or slavery.

Now, we're facing the opposite problem, where we could have more people than needed to do the work of society.

I agree, but still have to convince all the big companies and banks, not sure they agree

 

[Kangaroo Feathers]

As most people are probably aware robotics is on the rise, so decided to watch a presentation about the future of robotics:

And were wondering, since more and more jobs are lost to robots and these do not buy stuff, how long will it take before there is not enough purchasing power left in the world to keep things running, have anyone thought about this and want to share their views?

Because to me, this seems quite self destructive and not really sure how people are suppose to support them self in the future.

Some would argue we're already in "the collapse".

 

[Nakosis]

And the only thing humans would have to do is sit around, sleep, eat - and enjoy a life of ease.

Art, literature, philosophy, exploration. Sure a lot of people will decide to take a life of ease but there are always those who have to achieve. Have to find the challenges in life.

 

[Nimos]

Someone has to maintain the robots. Someone has to design them, someone has to program them. Someone has to sell them.

Just thinking about self driving cars, bus drivers, truckers, taxi services... are out of jobs. With less accidents, you have insurance companies that will need less employee, its going to ripple all through society. Already in Denmark the train company have said they are working towards self driven trains in the near future, which makes it hard for them to even now find people that want to drive the trains as they know its a "short" term job. Even in Mc donalds you just go to a screen now and then there is some burger flippers and one handing them out. Microsoft, I think is working on a system for supermarkets, so you don't need to get through check out it just happens automatically. So even those self scanning systems will be obsolete, so how long will it take before you just have robots putting wares on the shelves.

I think this will have a much bigger impact on society than people think, the technology or robotic and how it can be applied is much faster than you can re-school people into being engineers etc. And some might not even be qualified or want to be something like that.

 

[Nimos]

And the only thing humans would have to do is sit around, sleep, eat - and enjoy a life of ease.

Like this?

 

[Nakosis]

Just thinking about self driving cars, bus drivers, truckers, taxi services... are out of jobs. With less accidents, you have insurance companies that will need less employee, its going to ripple all through society. Already in Denmark the train company have said they are working towards self driven trains in the near future, which makes it hard for them even now to find people that want to drive the trains as they know its a short term job. Even in Mc donalds you just go to a screen now and then there is some burger flippers and one handing them out. Microsoft, I think is working on a system for supermarkets, so you don't need to get through check out it just happens automatically. So even those self scanning systems will be obsolete, so how long will it take before you just have robots putting wares on the shelves.

I think this will have a much bigger impact on society than people think, the technology or robotic and how it can be applied is much faster than you can re-school people into being engineers etc. And some might not even be qualified or want to be something like that.

Just pointing out what I can do. The rest of you are on your own.

I suspect we will have no choice but to expand the welfare state. As much as I complain about socialism, if the workers are robots, it might work.

No one has to work unless they want to. Everyone gets provided a minimal level of support. Food, housing. Robots grow/harvest the crops, build the housing, supply the energy needs.

 

[Nimos]

Just pointing out what I can do. The rest of you are on your own.

I suspect we will have no choice but to expand the welfare state. As much as I complain about socialism, if the workers are robots, it might work.

No one has to work unless they want to. Everyone gets provided a minimal level of support. Food, housing. Robots grow/harvest the crops, build the housing, supply the energy needs.

Either you do that or you make "artificial" jobs. Because everyone can't design and program robots and even at some point, they figure out that robots can design much better robots than humans

 

[Nakosis]

Either you do that or you make "artificial" jobs. Because everyone can't design and program robots and even at some point, they figure out that robots can design much better robots than humans

If they do fine. I'll just spend all of my type posting on the RF.

 

[Nimos]

If they do fine. I'll just spend all of my type posting on the RF.

Or you could get a computer doing that, like IBM Watson:

Now what?

 

[siti]

My wife and I have recently acquired a lease on several acres of agricultural land - we will not use robots - ultimately, we won't need money (except to pay the few hundred dollars a year lease - which we'll get by selling produce to people who don't want their veggies from artificially lit indoor hydroponic farms tended by robots)...I have no idea when or whether the promised collapse will come - I suspect the economic system has enough gas to run for a few more generations yet (but I wouldn't hazard a guess as to whether that might 3 generations or 30) - but the earth's resources are certainly finite (and in some important respects dwindling) and we are showing no signs of being able to get what we need from elsewhere in space within the next 3 or 4 generations as far as I can tell. Its really a question of where the graphs of economic growth and technological advancement cross over with the lines of depletion of resources and population increase - if they do indeed cross over - the trick for the longevity of the human species will be to make these lines asymptotic - or better still, parallel - but it doesn't look like that to me at present - they seem to be converging at increasingly sharp gradients. I worry about the world my grandchildren will inherit when they reach my age.

 

[dingdao]

Some Time ago @dybmh created a thread Does A.I. have limits? @Ray Warren posted this link.

The bottom line: we won't be needed.