An AI generated image of an assembly line, one of the most crucial automation inventions.
1. Improvement of the mass production of food
The introduction of certain chemicals and technologies has helped feed the world. Examples of farming-related tools, chemicals, and technologies are:
- Combine harvesters. They combine the process of reaping, threshing, and winnowing
- Pesticides, which help kill pests that can damage crops, or even cause diseases.
- Herbicides that kill weeds. Weeds could take up space, and compete with crucial plants when acquiring nutrients, water, and sunlight.
The three above have significantly reduced labor demand on farms, while simultaneously boosting production, especially when it comes to food.
As AI becomes more intelligent and incorporated into our daily lives, researchers can use AI to discover better solutions and inventions to mass produce food even better, paving the chance to eradicate world hunger.
Another benefit of the mass production of food is that it will become cheaper, thanks to an increasing supply.
2. The energy industry
This is likely the most crucial thing on this list. Even before the industrial revolution, energy consumption has always been a thing. The consumption of energy became significant once we reached the industrial revolution. We harnessed electricity, developed motorized transport, mass-produced numerous goods, and invented many amenities that boosted our quality of life.
All of which required the use of fossil fuels, which have played a crucial role in keeping society running.
As we invent better technology, energy demands increase, and fossil fuels might not be able to keep up with new technology. The technological singularity is around the corner. This is when technological innovation becomes rapid, unpredictable, and uncontrollable. Renewable energy is a requirement if we plan on progressing society even further than it is now.
Not only do we need renewable energy, but the whole industry must become automated. Here is how this could be possible:
AI could be used for many things like:
- Help schedule maintenance for various tools used in jobs revolving around energy.
- Help diagnose any issues with machinery.
- Trainers can use AI to help train new recruits more efficiently.
- Improving security and prevention, especially as nuclear energy is dangerous. Research to prevent a meltdown is crucial.
Advanced machinery could be used to improve productivity within a nuclear facility. AI can help researchers and engineers develop new machines to help mass produce nuclear energy, and properly distribute it to a population.
The mass production of nuclear energy could benefit society in many ways. Here are a few:
- The cost of energy will drastically fall. As energy supply skyrockets, and keeps up with demands, this will help lower prices. It most likely won’t be free, as there is still hard work required to produce and distribute energy. It will still be very cheap as minimal effort will produce a large amount of energy.
- New technologies will be developed.
- Developing countries could possibly develop. While many reasons that some countries remain poor are highly political and controversial, this won’t be discussed a lot. However, a good reason why developing countries remain poor could be attributed to resource scarcity.
More about resource scarcity
Despite many countries being poor, and not consuming that much energy, global consumption is already too high. We are depleting resources about 1.7 times faster than they are naturally regenerating.
As we progress in technology, that number could go even higher, to twice or three times as fast.
If everyone in the world lived like an American, that number would be 5. That’s right, the world would be depleting resources about 5 times faster than they are being naturally regenerated.
This causes an extreme risk of running out of energy because our main energy source is fossil fuels, which are a finite resource. Who knows how long fossil fuels will last us if 8 billion people have the luxuries that an American has.
So this could be one reason that developing countries are poor. There likely aren’t enough natural resources to develop every country on Earth.
Hence this is why renewable energy is important, especially nuclear energy. It’s renewable, which means it will always regenerate faster than we deplete it. Once it becomes mass-produced, virtually everyone on Earth could have access to decent infrastructure and technology, and have a very high quality of life.
3. The automation of manual labor
Ever since the 20th century, more people have been able to leave manual labor professions and get jobs in a white-collar office setting. This is all thanks to decent inventions in blue-collar industries which have reduced labor demand. Here are some inventions/automations that have happened in blue-collar industries:
- Combine Harvesters
- Tractors
- Forklifts
- Cranes
- Powered screwdrivers
- Bulldozers
While most of these inventions don’t seem dramatic and aren’t really mentioned in everyday social interactions, the world would be dramatically different, and less developed, if any one of these things on this list didn’t exist.
Now, here are some future concepts of automation in the blue-collar world.
AI
First, AI can help out workers in the near future by analyzing any physical strains and injuries on workers and can provide decent solutions to prevent permanent injuries/disabilities.
Second, it can help architects and engineers develop projects in a safer, smarter, and more productive way.
Finally, it can also help researchers come up with new inventions when it comes to automating manual labor.
Robotics
More complex robots could be used in manufacturing/manual industries. As the demand for manual labor drops, human workers can either work less or have time to work on more complex or skillful tasks
Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous trucks can help deliver goods over long distances. This can save money by not needing to hire human drivers.
Autonomous transportation can also reduce the risk of traffic collisions, and can continuously drive without needing to take rest stops. Workers that were necessary for transportation can now perform more complex tasks, rather than waste days or weeks transporting goods.
Aftermath of manual labor automation
If manual labor gets automated, that means that most of the workforce would be working in a white-collar profession, whether it’s in an office or remote. Whichever one is ideal will be up to the employees.
Automation of manual labor can also pave the way for people to work in creative or technical fields, as basic needs no longer require human workers. This can help accelerate science and research.