008 | The Future Falls into 3 Camps

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📓 The 3 Camps

The future of work is up for debate, and everyone seems to have a different take. On one side, we’ve got the optimists who believe AI and automation will lead us into a new era of prosperity—less work, more freedom. Then there are the skeptics who think, sure, technology will improve things, but nothing drastic. Finally, the pessimists are sounding the alarm, warning that robots and algorithms could replace millions of jobs, leaving us to deal with the fallout.

Who’s right? The truth probably lies somewhere in between.

In the following sections, I break down each of the 3 camps and ask you—where do you land?

➕ The Optimists

Envision a future where technology unlocks unprecedented human potential.

If you fall into this camp, you may believe AI and automation will take over mundane tasks, allowing us to focus on more fulfilling, creative endeavors. The theme of the Bread and Rose Work Club likes to take an optimist view on the future of work although futurist movies sometimes like to skew the optimist approach.

This utopia could look like:

• Ai and automation will make life easier, eliminating tasks that drain our energy.

• New industries and roles will spring up as tech reshapes the workforce.

• Work becomes something you want to do, not have to do, allowing us to focus on passion projects and innovation.

• Personal assistants like Ohai Ai will be cheap.

• Automation will reduce the cost of goods and services, making essential resources more accessible to everyone.

• UrbanSim Ai figures out how build prosperous cities and societies without human effort

• Technology becomes more affordable and widespread, allowing more people to start businesses or pursue creative endeavors.

• Economies worldwide will be lifted out of poverty to increase global prosperity.

• Just as the plane allowed humans to fly, Ai technology using implants like Neuralink will allow humans to process more information.

❓ The Skeptics

Groundedness lies here.

In this camp, you may believe changes won't be that dramatic or fast paced as optimists predict. New technologies may improve productivity and efficiency, but they’ll do so incrementally—much like the past industrial revolutions. They see tech as a tool that enhances what we do, rather than reshaping the job landscape entirely.

If you don't believe a revolution is happening anytime soon, you may sit well here.

This gradual shift could look like:

• New technologies like AI will improve productivity without completely replacing human workers.

• Automation will lead to job shifts, but not mass unemployment—new roles will emerge alongside the ones that disappear.

• Economic growth continues steadily, as efficiency increases, but major disruptions are unlikely.

• Tech advancements will complement human skills, helping us work smarter, not necessarily harder.

• Job retraining and upskilling will be essential to help workers adapt, but industries will still rely on human intuition and creativity.

• AI will create more niche, highly specialized roles, but these will take time to develop and won’t dominate the workforce immediately.

• Technological access won’t be universal—some regions or industries will adapt faster than others, causing gradual change, not instant transformation.

The world won't change overnight.

➖ The Pessimists

These individuals have already likely unsubscribed from this newsletter.

In this view, AI and automation may lead to widespread job loss, increased inequality, and a system where wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few tech giants. Automation will deepen societal divides and reduce the need for human workers.

This dystopian vision could look like:

• Mass unemployment as automation and AI replace human labor at a scale never seen before.

• Widening income inequality where the few who control technology benefit, while the majority struggle with lower wages and job insecurity.

• Corporations exploiting automation to reduce costs, using robots and algorithms to perform tasks without needing breaks, pay, or benefits.

• Degrowth becomes necessary as societies face ecological and economic crises, pushing back against the relentless drive for productivity.

• Humans are left with either highly specialized jobs or none at all.

• Social unrest as displaced workers demand solutions.

• Technological monopolies dominate, limiting competition and controlling access to advancements to a select few.

For the pessimist, the future of work could look like a world where human labor is devalued, and the benefits of technology are enjoyed by only a select few.

Poll!

Conclusion

The future likely belongs to what you make of it. As cheesy as it sounds, the worst decision of all lies in the act of not choosing. With stagnation, we do not grow, fail, or learn. We do not move towards any destination.

At the same time, it's important to see that not to choose is still a choice.

One of my favorite movies narrates this idea beautifully: Mr. Nobody, a futuristic story of one of the last mortals on earth, as he reflects on his past and the various paths he could have taken based on the choices he made: "We cannot go back, that's why it's hard to choose.”

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