“The net impact of automation on employment has always been a positive, rather than a negative, economy-wide,” said John Paul MacDuffie, a management professor and director of the Wharton School’s program on vehicle and mobility innovation. “There’s no reason to expect that this time will be any different.”
Bank tellers, for example, were considered a threatened species with the advent of ATMs. Instead, the new machines made it easier for banks to open more far-flung branches, creating more teller jobs. Do-it-yourself tax software didn’t put accountants out of business.
“Luddites smashed looms 200 years ago because they thought they would do away with their craft,” said Rob Carter, chief information officer for FedEx, which operates 160,000 ground vehicles. “The reality is, work always evolves to adapt to technology.”
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