6 predictions, 9 stocks, a, revolution, an apocalypse, and killer robots - oh my!

A new 300-page research report from Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Robot Revolution – Global Robot & AI Primer, and to a lesser extent BSG's report: Man and Machine in Industry 4.0, make for interesting reading and highlight the role of AI and the changing nature of jobs and work in the exponential growth of the robotics industry. "We are facing a paradigm shift which will change the way we live and work," the authors of the BoA ML report said. "The pace of disruptive technological innovation has gone from linear to parabolic in recent years. Penetration of robots and artificial intelligence has hit every industry sector, and has become an integral part of our daily lives." BoA ML report projects that the total global market for robots and artificial intelligence will reach 152.7 billion by 2020, and estimates that the adoption of these technologies could improve productivity by 30% in some industries.