How Far Will Robots Go?

As lower-skill jobs are swept away by technology, economists are wondering what kinds of skills workers will need -- and how the economic benefits of automation will be distributed. Perhaps the hottest topic in economics these days is how far robots and artificial intelligence (AI) will go in replacing humans in the workplace -- and how quickly the changes will unfold. For decades, technology has been replacing mid-level jobs in the United States and other advanced economies. But the pace has quickened, with the effects billowing through not just automotive factories and electronics facilities but also law offices, operating rooms, and the roads we drive on. Some economists, including MIT's Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee, have argued that, in addition to eliminating jobs, technology will also open the way to new ones.