Hello all...

I had rambled on in another post about this topic (I'm bad for that sometimes), and I wanted to see if and what kind of technological advancements have affected other members of this forum. Whether it's a lost job to an automated or robotic assembly machine or a great help by saving labor costs, time, etc. by using some sort of animated/robotic application to replace your own or others' labor...

I'm just interested in the topic, there's really no other reason for me asking; it's not like I've lost a job to a robot or a machine (not yet, anyway). I know that in a lot of cases this kind of technology has not only saved lives, limbs, and risks by removing the human element from danger (like unmanned armed forces "front line" and "surveying" equipment, bomb and explosive disposal machines and equipment, and many similar applications), but there have also been numerous jobs and careers lost to automated assembly lines and robotic machines. Take the automotive industry, for example: there are now a great deal of assembly and installation positions that were once occupied by an actual human worker but have been replaced by automated assembly machines and equipment. Some of you older forum members may remember a time when telephone operators used to manually switch your phone call, and even connected you. I've installed, updated, and have even overseen the installation of several automated telephony switching system equipment in the last decade or so. Most of those systems need little or no human involvement, intervention, or even maintennance to operate correctly...

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for this advancement-but did you ever stop and think where it'll stop? You can imagine the sci-fi crap from movies such as "I Robot" and others, but to be a bit more serious just imagine what kind of job opportunities our grandchildren, or their grandchildren will have. The faster we advance, the quicker this technology becomes affordable for not just the big corporations but medium and smaller businesses as well as individuals and hobbists like most of us.

I'd bet that at least within my lifetime (I'm still under 30) I'll see a fully automated fast food joint, or it's retail outlet store equivalent. No more worries about spit in your food-just make sure to check it for oil or lubricant leaks...

I'm not too worried about my eight-year-old son, or even his children-as long as they stay in or around this area. We're pretty much technologically isolated here in Kentucky; it's almost like we're about ten or twenty years behind the big cities. There are also really no good jobs, unless you're in the medical field or prefer to travel five nights out of the week. But we do eventually see the technology in this area-just not as fast as more densely populated places...

This is really just a topic to think about, how long do you think it'll take until almost every job is perfomed by a machine? When we're at or near that level of advancement, what will the majority of the population be doing for income or recreation? Then again, there's still the possibility that the human element will always play an important role in at least a small aspect of every automated machine or robotic application; we still have to design, build, program, set-up, and maintain these systems-well, mostly anyway...

Artificial intelligence was just a science fiction dream, a made-up fantasy at one time. That wasn't really that long ago, either. The very reason we're all here at this forum is because we're all either striving for information or providing it (thanks to all those who do!) on programming and controlling just one type of microcontroller with a variation of the BASIC language. Imagine trying to explain that to even the most educated and brightest scientist/inventor/mathematician of the forties-I'm sure you'd either be laughed out of the building or told to take your story to Hollywood back then. There were no transistors, logic controllers, or anything of the sort at that time-just the ENIAC (a computer that was housed in several large rooms, built in the early '40's, that couldn't even make calculations near the capabilities that a simple $1 calculator of today can). Now look where we're at...

Another thing to consider-some of the higher level PICs (18FXXX series) have some self-programming capabilities. How long do you think it'll take until we see a microcontroller/microprocessor that can (for the most part) just be installed into a circuit with whatever sensors and interfacing or peripheral components are needed and basically learn, or program itself to do exactly what's needed in that particular application without the need for human written software? That would be the "beginning of the end" as some could say, or the start of the peak of artificial intelligence...

So many companies, inventors, individuals, and really anybody that designs or builds anything electronic for a living or a hobby are competing with each other or time to develop the latest and greatest newest gadget, component, or product that there's really no chance for us to slow down, or stop and think about what kind of job opportunities our great-great-grandchildren will have in the next century or so. As A.I. continues to advance at the alarming rate it is, and automation becomes the norm on not only assembly lines, but everything that has the possibility to save a little overhead, reduce the number of required human employees, simplify tasks carried out by machines and humans alike, etc., we may end up ruining the future for our own decendants if we're not careful. I don't want to be the one to say, "I told you so", but we should really carefully plan out the development and usage of this technology as much as possible to ensure that an actual job market and human economy will be not only stable, but even possible in the coming centuries. Because, at this rate of expansion, we'll soon have automated assembly lines designing, building, programming, maintaining, and performing most, if not all of the tasks that currently require at least some level of human intelligence to function and operate properly...

Another example would be the computers, processors, etc. used forty or fifty years ago verses what's currently on the market-the information that even the 6-pin SOIC or 8-DIP PIC MCUs are capable of carrying and recording wouldn't even fit into a single massive room back then, let alone such a small package that would fit on the average person's fingernail today. Imagine what'll be available in the next forty or fifty years. Hobbiest programmers may become non-existant, or outdated due to self-programming capabilities that I'm sure will continue to rapidly expand and grow over the next couple of decades-if it even takes that long to develop...

Well, you guys have heard enough about my thoughts on the subject. I'd like to hear some of yours if you'd be willing to share and participate in this discussion. It's all for fun-we might be able to look back at this within a couple of decades and see either how far off my/our estimates were or how close we're coming to the elimination of our own jobs or careers. Whatever comes to mind, feel free to share your opinions and thoughts on this matter...

Thanks in advance for all your time, help, cooperation, thoughts, ideas, criticism, or whatever else you can think of relating to this subject. I'm looking forward to seeing other's views...

Sincerely,
-Adam Collins