Automation, the doom of our society ?
Computer Automation
What is Computer Automation?
Computer Automation in simple terms is just automation while using a computer; as computer allows more complex task than basic mechanical devices, it allows for a more extensive and complex process of automation. One research paper in 2013 pointed out how computer automation can be applied on many jobs which requires either a complex set of skills or several complex steps.
Why is computer Automation different than normal Automation?
Computers are quite a number of different precious metals and other materials such as silicon and fiberglass , used along other electronic components such as resistors and copper wires, this allows it to transform electrical currents into math calculations. Sounds simple but with those math calculations we designed programming languages capable of making computers able to do complex functions and create software. Now computers are used for everything, from editing a text document, to being the main tool of design in engineering and arts and allowing globalization thanks to the internet.
Programming in computers has allowed us to create and design machines capable of doing tasks more efficiently and adapting to environments or different jobs. On our modern times, computers are the brains of any machine we create. Cars have computers managing all the sensors and mechanical process that allow it to move or stop, airplanes and trains use computers to control and execute orders given by their pilots. This means that computers allow machines to do complex jobs and allows humans to interacts with machines.
Computer automation is when computers are designed to work with little to no input from any human and are capable of completing any task given using any tool. One example of computer automation are phone call bots who answer calls from customers and give a series of options for the customer to choose and are able to answer to simple commands; Another example are self checkout lanes on a market or store which allow the user to buy without having to interact with any human; while another example of Computer Automation is a robot arm assembling parts or doing any other task such as cooking, this robot arm is controlled by a computer which allows humans to not only change the task its capable of doing but also optimize its process or supervise it .
Self-Checkouts, while still prone to bugs or errors, are efficient and cheap enough to be used.
Computer Automation has also reached our homes with vacuum cleaning robots and have been for some time like automatic washing machines, coffee machines and other appliances. Now there are self-driving cars being developed and tested on the road which would mean self driving taxis and trucks.
Machine learning and A.I
We are now teaching machines how to do our work thanks to computers, we create programs capable of learning from humans and then apply those skills. Computers able to play chess at a professional level, to bots who interact with humans in chats or social networks. The next logical step would be a self thinking machine, capable of making choices, better known as Artificial Intelligence. Even though it is only a theory and proposal for the future, many experts from scientists to engineers debate whether it should be developed.
Computer automation so far has no limit for application, from simple software that interacts with human, to a software that controls a car and drives it on the road.
Why is Computer Automation different from normal automation?
In normal automation , machines do low skill jobs and specialized and repetitive jobs. While computer automation allows machines to do complex jobs which require training or at least a considerable level of education and certification. As it happened before, machines will take over many jobs and the people with a specialized skill or education will find themselves without a job. And many entry level jobs will also be in danger.
One other factor to take into consideration about computer automation ,is that is easy to implement. From small bots capable of doing a summary of any news article with good accuracy (https://www.reddit.com/user/autotldr ), to anyone with some knowledge of programming to be capable of automating its own jobs which brings then a moral dilemma of telling its employee about this situation due to the risk of losing their job seeing as they are not needed.
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