Robots Will Soon Take Over Building London Skyscrapers Says CEO of Large UK Construction Firm | MishTalk More below. "Skyscrapers in the City of London could soon be built by robots rather than by people, according to the boss of one of the UK’s biggest construction firms.
The result would be huge productivity gains as more work could be done by fewer people – but also mass layoffs as traditionally labour-intensive construction projects hire fewer and fewer staff. “We’re moving into the era of the robots,” said Alison Carnwath, the chairman of Land Securities, the £8.2bn FTSE 100 construction company. Speaking at the Institute of Directors’ annual convention, the veteran businesswoman said the pace of technological change has taken her by surprise. “Five years ago I’d have smiled wryly if somebody had said to me that robots would be able to put up buildings in the City of London – I tell you we’re not that far off, and that has huge implications,” she said. “Businesses are focusing on [productivity], they want to reengineer how their people can work, they recognize that technology is upon us and is going to destroy thousands of jobs,” said Ms Carnwath, who has been on Land Securities’ board since 2004 and has been chairman since 2008." Cue the naysayers, the nattering nabobs of negativity, to recapture a phrase. None of this means the elimination of jobs, it only means that specific jobs will be automated, likely the worst, most physical jobs. Having done many similar jobs, I can attest that they really are not great jobs. They certainly offers benefits like relatively good pay, but often come with very long, physically demanding hours, which are damaging to the bodies of the people doing the work. How long before purpose built robots will excavate, and pour housing foundations, and others will frame, then side the house? How far behind will be robotic plumbing and electrical installers for new construction? There is nothing new here. Since the very first technological improvement, technology has been stripping out the most physically difficult aspects of jobs, and making work more human, less toil, and tribulation. The only difference today is the automation is becoming more intelligent. It no longer needs to only follow a pattern, but can increasingly "think" for itself to some degree. These new automation changes will bring more uniform, and safe construction techniques, and finished buildings, it will bring faster construction, its less disturbance to the local area, and fewer injured workers, and deaths. It will also require the government to lighten up on the myriad restrictions which are holding back our economy. Failure to do this will only mean more employment problems, and more people permanently out of work who wish to work. This failure is purely one of government regulation. The gig economy is poised to absorb many of these workers, but government is unwilling to make such independent contractor relationships simple, and straightforward. The progressives, instead, want to conform us all to a 19th century employment ideal that long ago faltered, and became unusable. It is either move forward, or retrench to the 19th century, and its lower quality of life. Choose wisely.
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