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Only 13 Percent of Americans Are Scared Robots Will Take Their Jobs, Gallup Poll Shows (cnbc.com)

According to the results of a Gallup poll released mid-August, most employed U.S. adults aren't too worried about technology eliminating their jobs. Only 13 percent of Americans are fearful that tech will eradicate their work opportunities in the near future, according to the poll. Workers are relatively more concerned about immediate issues like wages and benefits. CNBC reports: This corresponds with another recent Gallup survey finding that about one in eight workers, or 13 percent of Americans, also believe it's likely they will lose their jobs due to new technology, automation, robots or AI in the next five years. While the survey reflects a generally confident American workforce, Monster career expert Vicki Salemi tells CNBC Make It that people should not become complacent.

"Employees need to think of themselves as replaceable in a way that propels them into action," Salemi says, "so they can focus on continuously learning and sharpening their skills." In the meantime, Americans can look to what the tech giants are saying. On the contrary, Salemi emphasizes that Americans shouldn't be paranoid and lose sleep every night. Rather, they should think about AI "from a place of power." "If your job does start to get automated, you'll already have a game plan and solid skill set to back you up for your next career move," she says. If you find yourself in the 13 percent of Americans worried about losing their jobs to robots, Salemi says you can "robot-proof" your job through networking. "Always be on top of your game, she says. "If your industry is becoming more digitally focused, get schooled on specific skills. Instead of being lax about your career, always stay ahead of the curve, keep your resume in circulation, ask yourself where the industry is headed and most importantly where you and your skills fit in."

3 of 267 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Wonder how they'll feel when it happens by waspleg · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If I had mod points they'd be yours.

    The goal of all of this shit should be to eliminate as much work as possible for the good of everyone but our economic system will not allow for that.

    Our technological evolution has far outpaced our societal evolution and I mean globally not just America.

  2. Re: Meh, I'm just going to coast on out by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What will you do when universal basic income causes hyperinflation

    Do you mean the way that trillions in QE caused the 0% hyperinflation we have today?

    Gains in productivity cause deflation. For price stability, we need monetary expansion to offset that.

  3. Re:Three possibilities by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The problem with this argument is that wealth isn't created. It's like energy conservation

    If that were true, we would all still be in the stone age.

    If I pay someone $10, I have $10 less and they have $10 more, but the only way wealth can be created or destroyed is by changing the money supply.

    Nonsense. This would only be true if things were worth the same to everyone. If someone pays $5 for my app, I am $5 richer since that app had a marginal value of $0 to me (I can make as many copies as I want). The buyer is also richer, since that app is worth more than $5 to him, or he wouldn't have bought it.