From Reuters:
Europe's growing army of robot workers could be classed as "electronic persons" and their owners liable to paying social security for them if the European Union adopts a draft plan to address the realities of a new industrial revolution. ...
The draft motion called on the European Commission to consider "that at least the most sophisticated autonomous robots could be established as having the status of electronic persons with specific rights and obligations". ...
5 comments:
While the term they are using of "electronic persons" is quite silly, the underlying issue is a real one. Increasing automation in types of jobs we haven't seen them before is yet another area where the trust funds will be losing out on money they used to get. If McDonald's replaces 90% of the workforce in its restaurants with robots, not only is that awful for low skill workers, that a tremendous hit in lost Social Security taxes. Expand that to other fast food restaurants and other industries (any job that requires minimal and repetitive decision making is ripe to be replaced by automation) and the ratio of worker to beneficiary gets that much worse.
I think such a rediculous policy would deter innovations in efficiency and make European companies less competitive in the global marketplace, thus further reducing the creation of future jobs and contributing to future unemployment. Companies would leave the EU and move to.....say, the U.K. which is now leaving the EU. Its totally irrational.
"Electronic persons?" Why not? Since the US Supreme Court treated corporations as persons in Citizens United, this is just a logical extension.
I am no longer confused as to why Britain left the EU.
Will the robots collect benefits too?
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