MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 FASHION | 8 HEALTH | 10 BOLLYWOOD | 11 InnovativeIn fabrics Cutting salt in ‘Baahubali 2’ bark up Tokyo diet may reduce trailer gets fashion tree night-time toilet trips 100m views Email: [email protected] P | 2-3 THE RISKS OF AUTOMATION Recent advances in artificial intelligence and robotics are heightening concerns about automation replacing a growing number of occupations, including highly skilled or “knowledge-based” jobs. 02 COVER STORY MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 Tech world debate on robots and jobs heats up AFP “fully automated.” Another report, by PwC this re robots coming for your month, concluded that around a third job? Although technol- of jobs in the United States, Germany ogy has long affected the and Britain could be eliminated by labour force, recent automation by the early 2030s, with advances in artificial the losses concentrated in transpor- Aintelligence and robotics are height- tation and storage, manufacturing, ening concerns about automation and wholesale and retail trade. replacing a growing number of occu- But experts warn that such stud- pations, including highly skilled or ies may fail to grasp the full extent of “knowledge-based” jobs. the risks to the working population. Just a few examples: self-driving “The studies are underestimating the technology may eliminate the need impact of technology -- some 80 to for taxi, Uber and truck drivers, algo- 90 percent of jobs will be eliminated rithms are playing a growing role in in the next 10 to 15 years,” said Vivek journalism, robots are informing con- Wadhwa, a tech entrepreneur and sumers as mall greeters, and faculty member at Carnegie Mellon medicine is adapting robotic surgery University in Silicon Valley. and artificial intelligence to detect cancer and heart conditions. Dire consequences Of 700 occupations in the United “Artificial intelligence is moving States, 47 percent are at “high risk” a lot faster than anyone had from automation, an Oxford Univer- expected,” said Wadhwa, who is co- sity study concluded in 2013. author of a forthcoming book on the A McKinsey study released this topic. “Alexa (Amazon’s home hub) year offered a similar view, saying and Google Home are getting amaz- “about half” of activities in the world’s ingly intelligent very fast. Microsoft workforce “could potentially be auto- and Google have demonstrated that mated by adapting currently AI can understand human speech bet- demonstrated technologies.” ter than humans can.” Still, McKinsey researchers Wadhwa calls the driverless car offered a caveat, saying that only a “metaphor” for the future of labour around five percent of jobs can be and a sign of a major shift. 03 MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 COVER STORY Warnings of dire social conse- Others disagree. quences from automation have also Boston University economist come from the likes of the physi- and researcher James Bessen dis- cist Stephen Hawking and tech misses alarmist predictions, entrepreneur Elon Musk, among contending that advances in tech- others. nology generally lead to more jobs, Hebrew University of Jerusa- even if the nature of work changes. lem historian Yuval Harari writes His research found that the pro- in his 2017 book, “Homo Deus: A liferation of ATM machines did not Brief History of Tomorrow” that decrease bank tellers’ employment technology will lead to “superflu- in recent decades, and that auto- automation.” machines because they enable peo- ous people” as “intelligent mation of textile mills in the 19th ple to earn higher wages,” he said. non-conscious algorithms” improve. century led to an increase in weav- ‘Tax the robot’ “If you tax machines, you will slow “As algorithms push humans out ing jobs because it created more Although the net impact of the beneficial side of the process.” of the job market,” he writes, demand. robots remains unclear, tech lead- Peter Diamandis, chairman of “wealth and power might become “Robots can replace humans in ers and others are already debating the X Prize Foundation for techni- concentrated in the hands of the certain tasks but don’t entirely how to deal with the potential job cal innovation and founder of the tiny elite that owns the all-power- replace humans,” he said. displacement. Silicon Valley think-tank Singular- ful algorithms, creating But he acknowledged that auto- Microsoft founder Bill Gates ity University, is among those unprecedented social and political mation “is destroying a lot of said last month that he supports a calling for a “universal basic inequality.” low-skill, low wage jobs, and the “robot tax,” an idea floated in Europe, income” to compensate people for Harari points to the Oxford new jobs being created need higher including by a socialist presiden- job losses. study, estimating a high probabil- skills.” tial candidate in France. Offering income guarantees ity of job loss to automation Former president Barack But Bessen, a former fellow at “will be one of many tools empow- -- cashiers (97 percent), paralegals Obama’s council of economic advi- Harvard’s Berkman Center, said ering self-actualization at scale,” he (94 percent), bakers (89 percent) sors also warned last year that most taxing robots could be said in a blog post, arguing that and bartenders (77 percent), for jobs paying less than $20 an hour counterproductive. automation will allow people “to example. “would come under pressure from “You don’t want to be taxing the follow their passions, be more creative.” But Wadhwa says the problems run deeper and will require more creative solutions. “A basic income won’t solve the social problems of joblessness because people’s identity revolves around our jobs,” he said. “Even if we have enough food and energy, we have to deal with the social disruption that’s coming. We need a much broader discussion.” Bessen says reversing the trends of the past decades, where high- skilled jobs gain at the expense of others, pose a “big challenge.” “It’s entirely possible we can meet the challenge,” he said. “But the evi- dence in the past 20 years is that things are moving in the wrong direction.” 04 CAMPUS MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 ASD students win Haas/Hansen Student Award 2017 nspiring students to become pos- student who died in an accident, the itive, active global citizens is annual Stanley Haas/Luke Hansen Icentral to the mission of the Student Award is meant to recognize American School of Doha (ASD). students who are a credit to them- Quincy Loria and Tisya Raina, selves and to their schools. The award two eighth grade students, recently is given annually to students of mid- won the Haas/Hansen Student Award dle school age (i.e: Grades 6 - 8 2017 for their ongoing commitment inclusive) currently enrolled in to service and strength of character. schools that are members of NESA. These students were honoured dur- The Haas/Hansen Student Award ing a school assembly by the Director is not meant to recognize a specific of Teaching and Learning, Gail Seay, academic, athletic or artistic talent or and Middle School Principal, Robert achievement, though nominees may Gohr. Loria and Raina both received well excel in one or more of these checks for US$ 1,000 from the Near areas. It is to highlight those young points of view and a genuine interest the Haas/Hansen Student Award rep- East South Asia (NESA) Council of people who model the character traits in and demonstrated, sustained com- resents and for being a shining Schools. In the spirit of Stanley Haas, that NESA values most in its’ students: mitment to the welfare of others. example to students at the American late executive director of NESA, and persistence, a willingness to take risks, Congratulations to Quincy Loria and School of Doha (ASD) and across the of Luke Hansen, a remarkable acceptance of other cultures and Tisya Raina for exemplifying all that Middle East. Noble Indian Kindergarten holds graduation ceremony oble Indian Kindergarten presented their myriad skills which organised its 10th Gradua- won the hearts of the overall Ntion ceremony on March 24 audience. at Noble Kindergarten, Al Hilal. The welcome speech was deliv- The programme commenced ered by Principal, Shibu Abdul with the prayer followed by the Rasheed, presidential address by graduation of the young fledglings Vice-Chairman, Mohamed Eesa and in the most alluring way. The felicitation by Secretary, Mashood charming and astonishing toddlers VC. The Management members took over the charge to do the pres- Moms, Dads, grandparents, family entation of the certificates to the and friends which in turn made dazzling little graduates through them feel elated and glad. which the parents and the teachers Zeenathunisha, HOS, KG, deliv- were also appreciated for the fan- ered the vote of thanks thus tastic role that they played to expressing the gratitude to all the facilitate learning in the students’ management members for giving lives. an extravagant opportunity, par- The students’ of KG-2 were pre- ents for their continuous backing, sented with their graduation teachers for their hard work and to certificates within the premise the non-teaching staff for their end- which was packed with proud less support. 05 MONDAY 27 MARCH 2017 MARKETPLACE Banana Island Resort Doha offers special package hat if you could take one In One Day in Paradise, guests whole day to yourself, will be treated to a 60-minute fully Wspending it in the closest body relaxing massage with full thing to paradise on earth? Banana access to the spa’s wet facilities, Island Resort Doha is offering including the steam room, sauna, guests the chance to do just that jacuzzi and ice fountain. with their ‘One Day in Paradise’ During their special day, guests package, where guests can enjoy a will have full pool and beach access whole day of relaxation and recre- to take advantage of the resort’s ation in the beauty of the picturesque shores, pristine blue mesmerising island.