On the plus side of the equation, these changes promise a great boom in productivity. Products will be created more cheaply than ever before, and highly skilled jobs will be created for those who are educated enough to participate in the new technological manufacturing world.
However, for those workers not fortunate enough to participate in the gains of the new economy, it may feel as though the whole revolution is happening somewhere else. Entire economies risk being destabilized in countries that rely on advanced manufacturing and on service sector jobs. With each new gain comes the potential loss of something else.
We know what we have to gain from this automated future, but what, specifically, do we stand to lose?