automation-paradox
The contradictory outcome where technologies that enhance human abilities can simultaneously displace human workers.
1 chapter across 1 book
Machines of Loving Grace (2015)John Markoff
The chapter introduces the central paradox in the development of artificial intelligence and robotics: the tension between designing machines to augment human capabilities versus replacing humans entirely. It traces the historical roots of this dichotomy through key figures like John McCarthy and Douglas Engelbart, and discusses contemporary implications for society, labor, and control in an era of ubiquitous computing and big data. The author emphasizes the importance of design choices in shaping the future relationship between humans and autonomous machines, highlighting both utopian and dystopian possibilities.