Planned obsoletion to drive consumer demand is modern industry’s worst-kept secret. Shortly after the invention of the lightbulb, manufacturers worldwide began to notice a disturbing trend. Their lightbulbs were lasting a bit too long, dimming sales and slowing production. To reilluminate market share, engineers went against their instincts by designing bulbs that would last a fraction of the old bulbs so customers would have to replace them more frequently. Sales quickly rebounded and other industries took note. It’s no coincidence that cell phones and laptops show signs of aging and lagging anytime the newest upgrades become available. It’s all by design to keep you returning to the store to buy the next gizmo that will “change our lives.” Today, artificial intelligence could be tinkering with programmed algorithms to phase out modern industry’s next weakest link: humans.
Is Artificial Intelligence Coming After Your Job?
Humans are the one unknown variable in the workplace. From sales and manufacturing to shipping and logistics, the bottom-line ultimately depends on the fickle-nature of drones punching a clock for a paycheck who aren’t always interested in productivity, yet alone efficiency. We can be moody creatures when it comes to getting the job done, as project managers will soon turn to artificial intelligence to replace reluctant workers. Many economists already see the coding on the wall. Nearly 60 percent of all workers nationwide already run the risk of automation. As AI technology continues to develop at lightning speed, other more advanced specialists and laborers could soon be given the pink slip. Software like ChatGPT is already threatening creative industries, and robots could soon completely takeover production lines. Will your job be next?
Employees Should Never Fear Innovation or Efficiency
There’s no reason to fear innovation in the workplace. Capitalistic economies depend on low unemployment to stimulate markets by salaried workers reinvesting their dollar back into other commodities. Ever heard of a computer needing to buy groceries or get a haircut? While artificial intelligence could replace certain sectors already on the cusp of obsoletion, governments also depend on a healthy and thriving tax base to fund infrastructural needs like schools and hospitals. If anything, artificial intelligence will likely make your job a little easier. You can view AI’s impact on the workplace to the computer replacing the typewriter. Going digital improved efficiency. At the end of the day, companies still needed workers to peck away at the keyboards for eight hours a day.
The Perils of Improper Chemical Storage Will Never Become Obsolete
Artificial intelligence will never negate the need for proper chemical storage. Automated machines guided by AI software will still require powerful lubricants and degreasers to streamline production lines. Finished goods, whether manufactured by humans or machines, still need to be transported across entire continents by Diesel guzzling semis. All industries must continue to rely on necessary, yet dangerous chemicals to get the job done. At U.S. Hazmat Rentals, we can protect vulnerable personnel and staff from dangerous chemicals so you can focus on the job at hand without eliciting any ‘automated’ health violations from OSHA. Obsoletion also has a different moniker in chemical storage. Just because a chemical becomes obsolete or exceeds its shelf life doesn’t mean it’s inert. Without getting into the finite science of physics, molecular degradation and breakdowns can often yield an even more dangerous compound or solution. U.S Hazmat Rentals’ fire-rated chemical storage lockers can protect all stockpiles of dangerous chemicals while preserving the bottom line.
