Google and Foxconn team up to automate manufacturing processes.

[HutchisonSorbo]

Source

Google's ambitions, according to the Journal, include replacing manual labor for intricate tasks like electronics assembly, but will also extend beyond the factory floor to "competing with companies like Amazon in retailing." Amazon itself has already suggested using drones for deliveries, so a robot arms race between these two companies could be on the cards.

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this, on the one hand the possibility of new manufacturing facilities in the US is fantastic, but the cost can't be ignored as many Taiwanese workers will now be losing their jobs. As with anything the positives have come at a cost, do you think the positives outweigh the negatives?

[skullbringer]

sounds evil

[Kamina]

Don't they make like $14 a day?

 

These people are taken advantaged of.

[SrN95]

The workers should be happy to get out of the endless depressing pit that is Foxconn 

[fizzlesticks]

Don't they make like $14 a day?

 

These people are taken advantaged of.

You're right, it would be much better for them to have no job.

[Kamina]

You're right, it would be much better for them to have no job.

At least you keep your dignity.

[Kamil]

At least you keep your dignity.

Dignity... That's a sort of food, right?

[ShiverMePenguins]

Source

I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this, on the one hand the possibility of new manufacturing facilities in the US is fantastic, but the cost can't be ignored as many Taiwanese workers will now be losing their jobs. As with anything the positives have come at a cost, do you think the positives outweigh the negatives?

sounds cool, but there is no way it generates more jobs than it will kill.

 

i'm never in support of something if it doesn't stimulate the economy in a positive manner, even if it's a step forward in technological advancement.

[Phart]

Don't they make like $14 a day?

 

These people are taken advantaged of.

these people make waaaaaaaay less than $14 a day... 

 

EDIT: changed $4 to $14 whoops

[jasgud]

these people make waaaaaaaay less than $14 a day... 

 

EDIT: changed $4 to $14 whoops

I bet, by comparison to other jobs in those countries, these jobs pay okay.  What I don't like are the conditions that they are forced to work in.  That could just be a change in management.

[dizmo]

I bet, by comparison to other jobs in those countries, these jobs pay okay.  What I don't like are the conditions that they are forced to work in.  That could just be a change in management.

Exactly! I don't understand why people are so upset about their wages.

Cost of living is a thing, and if they're making a very reasonable wage based on what their costs are, how is that a bad thing?

It's like everyone assumes that it costs the same in Taiwan as it does in their North American neighborhood.

 

 

It's a shame that they're going to lose their jobs, but honestly that's the way the future is going. More automation. You can't blame a company for looking for cost savings. A companys sole purpose is to make money.

If it's not profitable, there's no point in it existing.

[kemical]

one day will all be Jobless bitcoin mining will be the only thing to do_smh

[kuddlesworth9419]

People always complain about the conditions these people work in. But I don't think that these people really give a sh*t what conditions they work in. They are probably just happy they can make enough money to not starve to death. If I was living in China or India I would do pretty much anything to make a living. It's just a good think that in most western countries we have a benefit system. These countries don't. Besides their working conditions will improve over time like ours has to. It will take them less time compared to us though.

[wpirobotbuilder]

Exactly! I don't understand why people are so upset about their wages.

Cost of living is a thing, and if they're making a very reasonable wage based on what their costs are, how is that a bad thing?

It's like everyone assumes that it costs the same in Taiwan as it does in their North American neighborhood.

It's a shame that they're going to lose their jobs, but honestly that's the way the future is going. More automation. You can't blame a company for looking for cost savings. A companys sole purpose is to make money.

If it's not profitable, there's no point in it existing.

This.

You may think they're being taken advantage of. Maybe the company thinks so too. But the bottom line is that job is an opportunity for that worker to have a more secure future in terms of food, shelter, money, etc.

And this has been happening since the 19th century when textile industries moved from the northern U.S. to the southern U.S, then overseas entirely. It's good for areas that the work is going to, bad for areas it's moving out of. Complete automation is the last stop.

[Misanthrope]

This is how the electronics industry works fellas: the only reason why we have so much advancement it's because it's at the expense of poor people overseas, don't act like this is an outrage if you didn't know about things like this is just because you didn't want to know.

[NeoZeon]

I think it is highly unlikely that we will ever get to the point where robots replace the human worker completely; who will provide the economic support to run these robots ? Rich people do not account for most of the consumerism in the world; The iphone isnt only sold to people who make 100k+ a year. While some jobs will be replaced, I really think it will open the door for other jobs.

[gliliumho]

Don't they make like $14 a day?

 

These people are taken advantaged of.

$14 is relatively higher than many countries' minimum wage. They might not be able to afford latest gears like us but at least they can feed their family and send their kids to school or even university if they save up the money for it.

[EpicGeekonFire]

sounds evil

Don't be evil.

[Ncide]

Quit acting like a bunch of luddites.
so people working obsolete jobs will have to find new ones? wow, not like thats ever happened with every labour saving techological advancement ever.

y'know what lets go back to havesting wheat with scythes instead of combine harvesters. and building roads with shovels and wheelbarrows.

Blame taiwan's government for not protecting it's workers. Dont blame the people responsible for the advancement of the human race

[Jkl]

$14 is relatively higher than many countries' minimum wage. They might not be able to afford latest gears like us but at least they can feed their family and send their kids to school or even university if they save up the money for it.

The people in the resorts in Cuba make $22 a month, and their doctors make $55 A MONTH. and you're considered very luck to get a resort job. X2 on how relative each and every countrys economy is.. But as a side note, in Cuba they need to save for 6 months to buy a pair of shoes..

[Lolbroccoli]

And this is how cylons are made. They will rebel. It will be just like battle star galactica.

[monopolyman]

The future is scary... really scary. The amount of jobs this will replace is innumerable, and not to mention other companies will probably shortly follow. 

[Viddiecent]

Exactly! I don't understand why people are so upset about their wages.

Cost of living is a thing, and if they're making a very reasonable wage based on what their costs are, how is that a bad thing?

It's like everyone assumes that it costs the same in Taiwan as it does in their North American neighborhood.

 

 

It's a shame that they're going to lose their jobs, but honestly that's the way the future is going. More automation. You can't blame a company for looking for cost savings. A companys sole purpose is to make money.

If it's not profitable, there's no point in it existing.

 

Yes, but when the fact that employment is WAY DOWN the and you live in a small town with only 2 factories and 3000 people and see one of those shut down the families that have lived there there whole lives, and get only a fraction of the price they paid on a house years and years before and leave their homes so they can find work, it puts things in perspective. hurting people for a few million extra a year... I dunno kinda sounds criminal to me...

[dizmo]

Yes, but when the fact that employment is WAY DOWN the and you live in a small town with only 2 factories and 3000 people and see one of those shut down the families that have lived there there whole lives, and get only a fraction of the price they paid on a house years and years before and leave their homes so they can find work, it puts things in perspective. hurting people for a few million extra a year... I dunno kinda sounds criminal to me...

 

Welcome to life. Supply and demand and profit are things. If companies can save money, they will. Life isn't anything close to fair, the sooner you learn that lesson the better off you'll be.

Stuff like that happens all over the world, in every sector. You pick up, adapt, move on to something else.

Does it suck? Yup. It does.

Eventually lot of jobs are going to cease to exist because of automation or improvements, and the world will have to completely rethink it's structure.

 

[gliliumho]

The people in the resorts in Cuba make $22 a month, and their doctors make $55 A MONTH. and you're considered very luck to get a resort job. X2 on how relative each and every countrys economy is.. But as a side note, in Cuba they need to save for 6 months to buy a pair of shoes..

This. This is kind of the message more people from the first world countries should understand to understand how fortunate we are to be doing what we do now. Not everyone get to can afford 3xTITAN but at least we're doing A LOT better than some people from third world countries. 

I'm in for automated manufacturing but that doesn't mean it's okay to fire people off or leave them unemployed.