Automation, Innovation and Economic Crisis

The fourth industrial revolution is developing globally, with no geographical centre and is taking place at enormous speed. Robots will bring about the informatization of work such that the way we work, where we work and our relationships with our colleagues and employers are all in a state of change. The author argues that a "perfect" social storm occurs when inequality grows at a catastrophic rate, unemployment increases, job security is threatened for a growing number, and robotization takes over even the most underpaid jobs. Cascades of innovations will lead to economic and social crises and it will only take a small spark for this social storm to develop into a social revolution.