The robots are already here
Link to article:
Authors:
Øye, Dana Darja
Year:
2018
Reference:
Andre skrifter
Master of Economic Theory and Econometrics,
Department of Economics, University of Oslo
Summary
The threat of automation got enormous attention after Frey and Osborne published their seminal paper in 2013, which examined how susceptible jobs were to computerisation. Their finding that almost half of the jobs were at high risk of being automated over the next two decades, initiated a big debate about whether robots are coming for our jobs. This thesis estimates the relationship between automation probabilities, constructed by Frey and Osborne, and employment share within 348 Norwegian occupations. When considering the time period 2009-2016, I find a negative and significant correlation between the change in occupational employment and automation. This relationship is stronger for women and individuals with secondary education, but in the longer run, men and low-educated individuals seem to be more exposed to the technological advances. My thesis shows that the threat of automation is real, and that upcoming technology could have a bigger labour-saving effect than before. I find also evidence supporting the fact that we are facing restructuring rather than a jobless future. The empirical findings are relevant in the debate about what type of labour and education policies to implement.
