Originally published on Towards AI. Machines replacing humans in the workplace have been a constant source of fear since the Industrial Revolution, and it has become a more prominent topic of discussion in recent decades with the rise of automation. Automation has been around for centuries, and its use has increased significantly in recent years across many industries, including manufacturing, transportation, healthcare, and retail. The implementation of automation can bring many benefits, such as increased productivity, efficiency, and improved quality and safety. However, it also poses challenges and potential negative impacts on the economy and job market.

Research has found a link between higher densities of robots in a population and increased levels of productivity. The study – conducted by supply chain specialists Balloon One – analysed countries with similar levels of manufacturing output and looked at their densities of robots and GDP per hours worked. Balloon One's research found that: "This analysis shows that countries with a robot density of 150 or more are, on average, experiencing higher productivity levels than those with a robot density of 149 or less. While it could be argued that this is a result of some nations being more focused on manufacturing as part of their economy, and therefore having developed better infrastructure to meet demand, higher levels of productivity aren't skewed towards nations that rely more heavily on manufacturing. In fact, manufacturing levels are, on average, higher (17.86% of GDP) in less-robot-dense nations. Because there is a correlation between robot density and higher levels of productivity, it seems that if the UK increased its robot density, it could boost productivity. This begs the question of whether the country should invest more in automation if it wants to see a boost in its manufacturing productivity. It certainly seems to be working for nations of a similar standing."