AI’s path to the present and the painful transitions along the way

Abstract

Purpose Artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to have a significant impact on work. It will enhance, but also displace, some professions. This paper aims to look retrospectively at the impact that previous revolutionary computing technologies have had and the institutional values that have shaped the way workers were affected. Design/methodology/approach This historical investigation relies on academic, government and trade publications of earlier periods in the development of computer technology. The analysis relies on the literature on institutional economics to understand societal outcomes. Within this framework, this paper explores both the ceremonial values associated with tradition and the instrumental values associated with the pursuit of knowledge. Findings The AI revolution, like previous technological evolutions, will go through stages. Initial implementations will suffer from failures that will, however, generate employment; but, as the technology improves, the AI revolution is likely to enhance productivity but displace workers. Up to this point, the US Government has not been able to respond adequately to the challenge. This paper attributes this to the ceremonial values that public officials and society entertain about personal responsibility and small government. Practical implications Given the differences in values, this study recommends fending off negative effects though education but also experimenting with other solutions at the local level. Originality/value Through the lens of history, this study provides a glimpse of what may happen. It also provides a framework that helps understand the outcomes of earlier technological revolutions.

Exploring the negative impacts of artificial intelligence in government: the dark side of intelligent algorithms and cognitive machines

“…Furthermore, there is a concern about the development of teamwork between humans and machines, first, because there is a latent threat of the replacement of the more routine work activities and second, because of the lack of trust and reliability in the areas known as Manned–Unmanned Teaming and Human–Machine Teaming (Butcher and Beridze, 2019; Garcia-Murillo and MacInnes, 2019; Gupta, 2019; Kim et al, 2017; Warren and Hillas, 2020), due to the lack of understanding and transparency of the intelligent algorithms and robots. In particular, the use of so-called “killer robots” has raised questions about the degree to which these devices can be trusted to select and attack targets without further human intervention (Warren and Hillas, 2020).…”

“…Market failures caused by AI can have significant environmental and economic impacts, as they can lead to inefficient allocation of resources and unsustainable business practices. During the first Industrial Revolution, machines overcame the limitations of the human muscles; today, AI is overcoming the limitations of human cognition and decision-making (Garcia-Murillo and MacInnes, 2019). AI has the potential to generate substantial changes in the digital economy, with moments of cyclical and continuous innovation that can lead to a greater dependence on AI and the failure of the market, mastered by the big technology companies and governments that dominate and understand and soul of the AI techniques (Garcia-Murillo and MacInnes, 2019; Sun and Medaglia, 2019; Wirtz et al, 2020).…”

Critical success factors for integrating artificial intelligence and robotics

“…According to Mckinsey (2018), it is estimated that the market value of AI will be around $4–6tn, and from the investment perspective, it is estimated that tech giants invest $20–30bn on AI with a major portion on R&D-related activities (McKinsey, 2017). Studies have suggested that AI not only affects the nature of the work (Garcia-Murillo and MacInnes, 2019) but also disrupts the economic and business models that in turn change the way management is realized (Loebbecke and Picot, 2015).…”