Robot automation in industry will displace some workers
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029512
New Scientist : Robots may one day replace human workers in performing the most mundane, repetitive tasks in construction and other industries. Models are already at work around the world. In Germany, an 18-ton excavator named THOR (Terraforming Heavy Outdoor Robot) repeatedly scoops dirt and dumps it onto a truck. Flying robots at ETH Zürich weave ropes together to make a bridge. In New York, a masonry machine nicknamed Sam lays bricks three times as fast as a human. Although automation could eliminate up to 16% of all construction and extraction jobs by 2025, says a report by Forrester Research, the actual job loss will not be that severe because new jobs will need to be created in other areas, such as software, engineering, design, and maintenance.