Technofear in the 1980s
In the 1980s, there was a widespread fear that robots would take over human jobs, leading to unemployment and economic chaos. The media portrayed robots as dangerous machines that could harm humans. The Terminator franchise, which debuted in 1984, exemplified this technofear by portraying a dystopian future where robots had taken over the world.
As a result of this technofear, the use of robotics in industries was limited. Companies were hesitant to invest in robotic technologies, and the development of robotics was slow despite pioneering work at university establishments such as Brunel in the UK.
Technofear also impacted adversely the introduction of IBM PC's to run project management systems in the face of opposition from "white coated" technicians operating midi computers running Metier's "data base heavy" design - a personal experience in a management services specialist role, charged with the introduction of PCs to project managers in a diversified engineering group.
Opportunities in the 2020s
Fast forward to the 2020s, and the narrative around AI and robotics has changed. There is a growing realization of the numerous opportunities that these technologies offer. In the healthcare industry, robots can perform surgical procedures with greater accuracy and precision than human doctors. In manufacturing, robots can work around the clock, increasing productivity and efficiency.
In the agricultural sector, AI-powered robots can help farmers monitor crops and soil quality, leading to better yields and a more sustainable future. In the transportation industry, autonomous vehicles powered by AI could potentially reduce accidents and traffic congestion.
Being bold in the use of AI and robotics could revolutionize various industries. However, this requires a shift in mindset from fearing these technologies to embracing them. Companies need to be willing to invest in these technologies, and individuals need to be willing to learn how to work with them - whilst being fully aware of possible “antihuman self-organizing schemes” emanating from technologies such as social media and AI. (Charles Ehin and "We Space Theory.")
This shift can be helped by reconfiguring business models using VES to focus on new and changing roles that individual participants can play and the way we change our behaviours to shift from compliance to full collaboration (See Metisa).
[ See McKinsey's take here on the significance of Roles in organisations ]
