In this report, MIT Work of the Future takes the view that emerging technologies, artificial intelligence and policies can be leveraged towards a shared prosperity.
Technological change has been reshaping human life and work for centuries. At the same time, economic and social disruptions often accompanied those changes, with painful and lasting results for workers, their families, and communities. Along the way, valuable skills, industries, and ways of life were lost. Ultimately new and unforeseen occupations, industries, and amenities took their place. But the benefits of these upheavals often took decades to arrive. And the eventual beneficiaries were not necessarily those who bore the initial costs.
The world now stands on the cusp of a technological revolution in artificial intelligence and robotics that may prove as transformative for economic growth. New and emerging technologies will raise aggregate economic output and boost the wealth of nations. Will these developments enable people to attain higher living standards, better working conditions, greater economic security, and improved health and longevity? The answers to these questions are not predetermined. They depend upon the institutions, investments, and policies that we deploy to harness the opportunities and confront the challenges posed by this new era
How do we ensure that the labour market of the 21st century enables workers to contribute and succeed?