Critically assess the impact of technological advancement and automation on the nature of work and employment. 10 Marks (UPSC CSE Mains 2024 - Sociology, Paper 1).
The impact of technological advancement and automation on work and employment has been profound, reshaping industries, job roles, and labor markets globally.
Impact
- Job displacement:Automation has eliminated many routine and manual jobs, particularly in manufacturing and clerical work. This has led to structural unemployment in certain sectors.
- Skill polarization:The labor market has seen a growing divide between high-skill, high-wage jobs and low-skill, low-wage jobs, with a hollowing out of middle-skill occupations.
- New job creation:Technology has spawned new industries and job categories, such as data science and digital marketing, offsetting some job losses.
- Changing skill demands:Workers increasingly need digital literacy and adaptability to remain employable, leading to a skills gap in many industries.
- Gig economy growth:Digital platforms have facilitated the rise of freelance and contract work, offering flexibility but often with reduced job security and benefits.
- Workplace surveillance:Advanced monitoring technologies have intensified worker oversight, raising privacy concerns and potentially increasing stress levels.
- Productivity gains:Automation has significantly boosted productivity in many sectors, though the distribution of these gains remains uneven.
- Income Inequality: The shift towards AI could widen the gap between high-wage and low-wage workers, with the latter facing more significant challenges in transitioning to new roles.
- Social Unrest: Without proper support for displaced workers, there’s a risk of social unrest due to job displacement.
- Ethical Concerns: AI introduces ethical considerations, including algorithmic biases and privacy issues.
Thus, the new technological developments will bring challenges, but they also present an opportunity for us to upskill our workforce in order to emerge as a foreign investment destination and grow Indian startups for economic growth.
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