July 9, 2021 – Karen Hao – MIT Technology Review
Recent breakthroughs in deep learning have made it possible to replicate many of the subtleties of human speech.
AI Voice Actors Sound More Human Than Ever – And They’re Ready To Hire
Covid Brings Automation to the Workplace, Killing Some Jobs
June 7, 2021 – Will Knight – Wired
“Automation takes place faster during recessions and sticks thereafter.”
Don’t Fear the Robots, and Other Lessons From a Study of the Digital Economy
November 17, 2020 – Steve Lohr – The NY Times
“Robots and A.I. are not about to deliver a jobless future.”
FedEx is utilizing robotic arms to sort packages at a Memphis facility
July 17, 2020 – Brian Heater – TechCrunch
“These days, however, the prospect of increased automation seems all the more pressing, as COVID-19 has left many reconsidering the human element of the supply chain.”
The Pandemic Has Accelerated Demands for a More Skilled Work Force
July 13, 2020 -Steve Lohr – The New York Times
“Economists, business leaders and labor experts have warned for years that a coming wave of automation and digital technology would upend the work force, destroying some jobs while altering how and where work is done for nearly everyone.”
Tyson Turns to Robot Butchers, Spurred by Coronavirus Outbreaks
July 9, 2020 – Jacob Bunge & Jesse Newman – The Wall Street Journal
“The pandemic is speeding meatpackers’ shift from human meat cutters to automated ones, but machines can’t yet match people’s ability.”
After the Pandemic, Doctors Want Their New Robot Helpers to Stay
7/9/2020 – James Vincent – The Verge
“These machines have become the vanguard of pandemic automation, with sales for UV cleaning robots booming in recent months.”
Covid-19 could accelerate the robot takeover of human jobs
June 17, 2020 – Erika Hayasaki – MIT Technology Review
“What seemed a little strange to shoppers when Tally arrived a year ago is now, mid–pandemic, not even close to being the most unusual thing happening inside the store.”
1 big thing: The next wave of job automation will be virtual
May 2, 2020 – Axios
“While industrial robots may get more of the attention, the real acceleration in workplace automation will come via software.”
A coronavirus recession will mean more robots and fewer jobs
March 31, 2020 – Rani Molla – Vox
“Any coronavirus-related recession is likely to bring about a spike in labor-replacing automation.”