Robotic Nation Summary

In “robotic nation” Marshall Brain talks about how the evolution of technology will greatly impact our economy’s future. He begins the article talking about a kiosk in a McDonalds he brings his kids to. This kiosk takes your order and gives you a number to place on your table in which your food will be delivered to. He goes on using this kiosk at a McDonalds to describe the millions of jobs to be lost by robots in the next 30-40 years.
He explains that with the growth of technology in just ten short years only gives us a peek of what can be created in 50. he states that by 2055 more than half of the American jobs that are done by humans now will be lost to robots that can not only perform three times better but also in a third of the time it takes a human to do. This will lead to a skyrocketing increase in unemployment and homeless rates in America. Marshall Brain also explained that with such a high unemployment rate American society would have no way to deal with it. It is said that “during the Great Depression at its very worse 25% of the population was unemployed.” We have the potential for a 50% unemployment rate in the robotic future.
He stated an interesting fact that goes back to the beginning of the 1900s and how technology has changed since then. This quote stated “imagine that you stand on a soap box on a city street corner in 1900 and you say to the gathering crowd, “By 1955 people will be flying at supersonic speeds in a sleek aircraft and traveling coast to coast in just a few hours”.” The point he was trying to make with this quote is that back then everyone thought that that would never happen. It was impossible to even think of. But yet in 1903 Orville and Wilbur made the first flight, and by 1947 there were aircrafts that were traveling at supersonic speeds.
Marshall Brain also discusses facts about computer chips and gives a timeline of when computer chips were first created and how much they have improved. He explains Moore’s Law which states that “CPU power doubles every 18-24 months or so.” This is just one of the many facts Brain gives that backs up his opinion on how robots will take over in the future.
To think that a suggestion like this is impossible is very likely for most people. I as well thought the same way when I first began reading. This was until he stated the fact about people flying at supersonic speeds in 50 years and I realized that what we think is impossible really having great potential of becoming reality. Just like it was impossible for our ancestors to believe humans would ever fly, we react the same way to robots taking over our jobs. I think as far as half of America’s population being unemployed by 2055 is a bit of a stretch but I still believe robots will be a big part in our everyday lives in the near future.
Brain had a bunch of facts the supported his “robotic nation” theory. Many people would look at this and say no way, impossible, or never going to happen. But with the everyday evolution of computer chips and technology, the creation of these robots that can do these kinds of tasks are right around the corner from being created. He stated proof of how fast technology evolves which will make these robots possible. It’s a scary thought to know that robots created by humans will be the cause to millions of jobs lost in just 50 short years.