Jobs, Robots & Us

Media

'The mothers of invention', Dave Heatley, Productivity Commission blog, 10 June 2019.

'Time for 'that' conversation is now, says Nelson author exploring our robotic future', Skara Bohny, Nelson Mail, 31 May 2019.

'Talking about future of work, AI and robots', Andrew Ashton, Gisborne Herald, 29 May 2019.

'Jobs, robots and how to secure the future of NZ's workforce', Nathan Smith, National Business Review, 28 May 2019 (paywall).

'Should we really panic about losing our jobs, or is it further away than first thought?', interview with John Campbell, TV1 Breakfast, 27 May 2019, (video, 3'46'').

'Looking for an alternative to the jobs apocalypse', Brian Fallow, New Zealand Herald, 24 May 2019 (paywall).

'Why we shouldn’t fear artificial intelligence and robots', Newshub Nation, 18 May 2019, (video, 6'26", from 47'50").

'Housing failure to make it harder for Kiwi workers to compete with robots', Rob Stock, Stuff, 19 May 2019 (includes video, 2'50").

'Kinley Salmon: Debunking the "robocalypse"', interview with Kathryn Ryan, Nine to Noon, RNZ, 21 May 2019 (audio, 31'56").

'Speak up, NZ, and shape the future of work', Yudu, 21 May 2019.

'The robots are not coming for your job. With a few exceptions', Maria Slade, The Spinoff, 5 May 2019.

'The job apocalypse myth: Why robots probably won't steal your job', Newshub, 5 May 2019.

'Robots stealing our jobs? Don't panic, author says', Rob Stock, Stuff, 4 May 2019.

'Robots and us', Bruce Munro, Otago Daily Times, 13 May 2019.

Endorsements

‘Scholars forecasting "the future" often forget that there is a multitude of possible futures – and all of them depend upon our choices in the present. Kinley Salmon's masterful book embraces this indeterminacy, debunks the misplaced fatalism about the impending 'robocalypse,' and offers a constructive vision for how to attain a future that we desire. Jobs, Robots & Us is essential reading for policymakers, informed citizens, and anyone who suspects that the future is still ahead of us.’ 
David Autor, Ford Professor of Economics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

‘The next wave of automation is on the horizon, and it will change the world of work. This timely book considering the likely impact on New Zealand makes the important point that there is nothing inevitable about the changes – there are choices to be made about the kind of society we want, with technology serving us, not the other way round.’ 
Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy, University of Cambridge

‘Paranoia currently rules our world regarding the impact of technology on our lives, largely due to misinformation and a lack of context. Kinley Salmon provides a much-needed, informed and balanced view of the changes we face, where they have come from, and how they might affect our world both positively and negatively. It really doesn’t matter where you currently sit in terms of your perspective on the future of work – and our world in general – Jobs, Robots & Us is a valuable addition to your thinking.’ 
John Holt, Chairperson, Kiwi Landing Pad

‘This is a very readable book about one of the central challenges of our time: what happens to good jobs as technology increasingly threatens to replace them with robots and automation? But don’t be misled by the easy-going style. The book packs a very important punch and a deep policy message. Technology does not drop on our laps ready-made; we can (and should) ensure that the direction of technological change is broadly beneficial to society at large rather than the lucky few. Kinley Salmon helps us visualize such a future through vivid examples and stories.’ 
Dani Rodrik, Ford Foundation Professor of International Political Economy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

‘A judicious and humane look at the future of work in a field full of hype and hyperbole. His emphasis that technology is not something that just happens to humans but is shaped by choices we make is worth saying, hearing, and repeating.’ 
Lant Pritchett, RISE Research Director at the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

‘Technology offers the potential to finally fix New Zealand’s long-standing productivity problem and lift the material well-being of New Zealanders. This important book by Kinley Salmon helps us figure out how to make the most of this opportunity while ensuring that the benefits flow broadly across the people of Aotearoa New Zealand. The challenge for policymakers is to now get on and do it.’ 
Paul Conway, former Director of Economics & Research, New Zealand Productivity Commission

‘There are two kinds of people in the world: the worriers and the solvers. The first group tells us what to focus on. The second tell us what to do about it. Kinley Salmon understands the threats, but is not intimidated by them. In this ambitious book, he shows us that the technological challenges that we face should not daunt New Zealand or the rest of us.’
Ricardo Hausmann, Professor of the Practice of Economic Development and Director of the Center for International Development, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

'Kinley Salmon writes like a dream on the future of work in New Zealand and, specifically, jobs, robots and people. He intelligently combines scholarship, journalistic inquiry, statistics, expert opinion, fictional work and poignant anecdotes to engage us from the first page to the last. Salmon’s thoughtful yet accessible reflections amount to a unique exposé on what technological advancements will really mean for employment levels, job character, how we engage with work and workplace productivity. He also garners empirical evidence to give us cause to feel optimistic about humans’ capacity to shape their experience, and the success, of workplaces that engage with machines while pursuing an effective trade-off between economic maximisation and human meaning. Yet Salmon’s work is also important for analysing, as he puts it, “what we know, what we don’t know, and what might really be going on” in both New Zealand and overseas contexts, and he does not shy away from explaining the political, policy and other challenges and opportunities that technological changes in the workplace could bring. This remarkable and ground-breaking book is a rewarding read, particularly for academics, policy-makers and business leaders, and is likely to become a well-thumbed reference in and beyond these circles.'
Jane Parker, Professor of Employment Relations and Human Resource Management, Massey University