Like many other individuals thinking about automation, robotics, and artificial intelligence, I’ve reflected here several times about our economic future as human beings. Specifically, about work. It seems to be a broad global speculation, as change accelerates around us in terms of both the nature and structure of work.

The fundamental question, as framed so well in this previous post, remains this: as automation and technological innovation replace human labor, will human labor be economically viable in the future? Some believe the negative answer is likely and worry that we face serious social issues as a result of widespread structural employment. Others believe, on the other hand, that technology and innovation will provide new work opportunities that we should embrace.

The following series of videos from The Galactic Public Archives provides some interesting perspectives on the question. These videos document thinking from the I4J (Innovation for Jobs) conferences that address “important topics that will impact the future of work, jobs and employment.”

See what you think:

As a bonus, here is a current get-ready-to-work-different perspective from Forbes: You’ll Never Work the Same Way Again. And also a current automation-will-replace-jobs perspective from ZDNet: Professional Jobs at Risk from Robotics and Automation.

The future continues to unfold before us.