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Chinese factory replaces 90% of human workers with robots. Production rises by 250%
Zme Science ^

Posted on 02/05/2017 1:37:59 AM PST by TigerClaws

After a factory in Dongguan, China, replaced most of its workers with robots, it witnessed a spectacular rise in productivity.

While some of the world’s leaders are obsessed with keeping people out of their country, an unspoken entity is slowly but certainly taking our jobs: robots. It’s been long discussed that robots and computers will start taking our jobs “in the near future” — well that near future is upon us and we’re not really prepared to deal with it. Of course, some jobs are more at risk than others, are few are as threatened as factory jobs. Advertisement

According to Monetary Watch, the Changying Precision Technology Company focuses on the production of mobile phones and uses automated production lines. The factory used to be run by 650 employees, but now just 60 people get the entire job done, while robots take care of the rest. Luo Weiqiang, the general manager, says the number of required employees will drop to 20 at one point. Despite this reduction in staff, not only is the factory producing more equipment (a 250% increase), but it’s also ensuring better quality.

Without a doubt, this is something we’ll be hearing more and more of in the future. Adidas is one of the companies which has already announced a shift towards robot-only factories, and it’s not just factories that will eliminate workers for robots. According to a report created by Dr Carl Benedikt Frey and Associate Professor Michael Osborne from the University of Oxford, there’s an over 90% chance that robots will take over the jobs of (long list ahead): masons, budget analysts, tax examiners and collectors, butchers and meat cutters, retail salespersons, geological and petroleum technicians, hand sewers, abstract searchers, watch repairers, new account clerks, tax preparers, order clerks, loan officers, legal secretaries, radio operators, tellers, hotel and restaurant hostesses, cashiers, real estate brokers, polishing workers, dental technicians, pesticide sprayers, telephone operators, cooks (not chefs), rock splitters, gaming dealers, and many, many more. Yeah, that’s a long list, and it goes on for much longer. Whether we admit it or not, we’re stepping well into the bounds of “robots taking over our jobs” and I’m not sure any economy is able to handle this at the moment.

I’ve got some very mixed feelings about this. Firstly, this is indeed exciting. We’re entering a new age of automation, and technology is truly reaching impressive peaks. The process is better and it’s also more resource efficient, which is also good. I’m also happy that humans don’t have to work repetitive, unchallenging jobs and can instead focus on other things. The problem is … there might not be other things. In fact there most definitely aren’t. Those people are out of a job, and there’s a good chance they’ll have a very difficult time finding new jobs. Simply put, our society isn’t prepared to integrate these people in different jobs and naturally this will cause huge problems.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: automation; chinarobots; robotics; robots; ubi
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To: TigerClaws

Solving poverty by banning low-value jobs doesn’t work.


41 posted on 02/05/2017 4:41:03 AM PST by ctdonath2 (Understand the Left: "The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the Revolution.")
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To: PIF

Expect China to solve its idle population problem via ancient means: go to war, using human-wave tactics.


42 posted on 02/05/2017 4:43:29 AM PST by ctdonath2 (Understand the Left: "The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the Revolution.")
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To: TigerClaws

Watch the video, ‘Obsolete’ on Amazon...it is free...very enlightening.


43 posted on 02/05/2017 4:53:40 AM PST by CincyRichieRich (Drain the swamp. Build the wall. Open the Pizzagate. I refuse to inhabit any safe space.)
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To: TigerClaws

I remember when robots were first being talked about, and people worried about losing their jobs. The common comeback would be, “ but somebody has to build the robots.” They didn’t foresee that robots would be building robots, and AI could design even better, improved robots. We are having such trouble with islam, with one rich man marrying dozens of women, and so many young muslims have no marriage prospects and it makes them even crazier. Female infanticide makes the ratio even worse. Now imagine robots taking billions of people out of the workforce. It’s going to be a very angry world. Buy guns.


44 posted on 02/05/2017 4:56:57 AM PST by brucedickinson
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To: rwoodward

Losing the Pointy Haired Boss would help a lot too.


45 posted on 02/05/2017 5:02:24 AM PST by wally_bert (I didn't get where I am today by selling ice cream tasting of bookends, pumice stone & West Germany)
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To: monocle

The best schools wouldn’t make a difference. The truth is most people are not intellectually capable of higher education.

The college loan debacle wasn’t caused by predatory lending; it was caused by predatory education. Forcing everyone into college is the equivalent of requiring Olympic training for everyone.

It may sound good, but you’ll still end up with 2% at the top and 20% making a living, while the rest are left with broken dreams.


46 posted on 02/05/2017 5:08:47 AM PST by antidisestablishment ( We few, we happy few, we basket of deplorables)
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To: Fai Mao
Machines, robots will create Hell on Earth

And then we shall pre-emptively launch the Butlerian Jihad.


47 posted on 02/05/2017 5:10:31 AM PST by Ciaphas Cain (The choice to be stupid is not a conviction I am obligated to respect.)
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To: Bryanw92

Open the pod door, Hal....


48 posted on 02/05/2017 5:20:18 AM PST by Paladin2 (No spellcheck. It's too much work to undo the auto wrong word substitution on mobile devices.)
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To: Timpanagos1

We're moving to a future where about 90% of the world's population; illiterate and unskilled, will be of no use.

49 posted on 02/05/2017 5:24:46 AM PST by Drew68
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To: gnawbone

Remember Robocop?


50 posted on 02/05/2017 5:30:39 AM PST by pangaea6
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To: TigerClaws

Scary part is if you consider what they’re paid in China and robots were still a profitable switch.


51 posted on 02/05/2017 5:31:14 AM PST by Tanniker Smith (Rome didn't fall in a day, either.)
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To: TigerClaws

Much of this is just bunk. A “robot” cannot analyze a budget without extensive training that is company and department specific. Where robots are useful is where large quantities of identical items are being assembled. But what human wants to spend their work day fastening the same bolt? I sure don’t.


52 posted on 02/05/2017 5:51:21 AM PST by theBuckwheat
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To: TigerClaws
Technology is about to cause a huge labor disruption - from self driving cars to robot-worker factories. Millions will be out of work.

Notice that Finland is experimenting with a guaranteed wage, some form of this is the only answer unless they are prepared to lower the population the old fashioned way.

53 posted on 02/05/2017 6:24:17 AM PST by itsahoot (Return the power to the people, and Mexico will pay for the wall, 100%)
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To: TigerClaws

Somebody has to maintain and repair the robots.


54 posted on 02/05/2017 6:29:00 AM PST by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: Timpanagos1
Advances in technology have never caused net job losses.

Times, they do change. Skynet is on the horizon, and we are not ready for what happens next.

55 posted on 02/05/2017 6:29:56 AM PST by itsahoot (Return the power to the people, and Mexico will pay for the wall, 100%)
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To: brucedickinson

The robots will make the guns. Do you trust the guns they make?


56 posted on 02/05/2017 6:30:38 AM PST by Cvengr ( Adversity in life & death is inevitable; Stress is optional through faith in Christ.)
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To: TigerClaws

Note to prospective college students: want a future? Study engineering, robotics, and automation.

It’s the wave of the future.


57 posted on 02/05/2017 6:30:56 AM PST by FrankR (You're only enslaved to the extent of the charity that you receive!)
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To: TigerClaws
Still need labor to design, manufacture, assemble, maintain, program the robotics. I've been involved with robotics/electromechanics/programming for decades, I believe much of this is hype. The labor force just gets shifted.

Granted, it will decrease the need for average line workers in some businesses, but many smaller manufacturers won't be able to afford robotics. Initial cost to transition over to a fully automated facility isn't cheap.

58 posted on 02/05/2017 6:31:41 AM PST by servantboy777
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To: blackdog
The human need is in the maintenance of these systems.

Every human likes to feel needed, then one day they are not.

59 posted on 02/05/2017 6:33:24 AM PST by itsahoot (Return the power to the people, and Mexico will pay for the wall, 100%)
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To: Mr. Blond

Sounds like the beginning of Skynet


60 posted on 02/05/2017 6:33:34 AM PST by Keyhopper (Indians had bad immigration laws)
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