‘We forget that computers today are just sophisticated adding machines, lacking creativity, innovation, analysis, and leadership, etc. So middlemen, like stockbrokers, can survive and even flourish under perfect capitalism if they provide what computers cannot, intellectual capital.’ - Michio Kaku
Michio is a world renowned scientist and he ponders the greater questions in life, some of which centre around the machine vs human discussion of whether or not technology will eventually replace humans in the workplace. This increasingly popular question and philosophical endeavour has been pondered by the team behind the sportsbook software provider, Altenar.
With a strong passion and understanding of the world of technology and especially https://altenar.com/services/sportsbook/, the team behind the stability meets flexibility mantra posed questions to one another about whether or not technology will eventually replace certain aspects of working life that, as a society, we have become accustomed to over the years.
Now, change in working environments is as certain as the sun rising each day, only 20 years ago the need for line-workers far-exceeded the need for software programmers, however, 20 years on and as it stands now, the demand for programmers far outweighs the need for line-workers.
A paradigm shift is occurring where the definition of a laborious, common job is shifting towards tech-based industries that climb in popularity because it’s a simpler way of living.
So, how did the team at Altenar respond to the machine vs human question?
Let’s take a look …
Question No.1: Which Professions Will No Longer Be Needed In The Future?
A mixture of answers were pooled by the team behind the state-of-the-art sports betting technology, though some appeared to stand-out. The above question raised a storm in the office and the articulate, well-thought out responses shed a light over how technology is shaping the future of the work force and how quickly tech has changed the face of every day work.
One team member rightly stated and eloquently wrote ‘about one in five computer operator jobs that existed in 2014 will be gone by 2024. But is it so easy? Of course not. Why? Because behind the machine, behind the artificial intelligence, we find human intelligence.’
The ever-hopeful train of thought that ‘intellectual capital’ will forever keep the machine vs human question simply a trope of science fiction seemed to be the overarching conesus between Altenar’s team.
Another member of Altenar’s family answered the above question with this response: ‘There is always the possibility for technology to replace various professions. Unfortunately, this can be hard to predict e.g. street light candlelighters were replaced with the invention of electricity. The good news is tech brings new job opportunities as well e.g 20 years ago no one expected to make money fr om social media.’
With the likes of social media, influencers, the seemingly immortal reality TV stars and the tech billionaires of silicon valley, the future of technology moves closer to human than to machine day by day. Examples of this can be found through the likes of Boston Dynamics, companies harnessing and growing Artificial Intelligence for business purposes, health care and more, wh ere the line between human and machine becomes less defined.
More answers trickled in and some team members suggested that the likes of pilots, drivers, chefs, cashiers and many other jobs might eventually be replaced by robots or AI powered machines.
Though, is the reality of Terminator, iRobot and the entrenched themes of a tech singularity really that close to fruition or simply the plot of a James Cameron film?
Altenar answered one more question on the machine vs human theory.
Question No.2: Can Computers Replace Human Beings In The Future?
This question split consensus, because the present has already witnessed the likes of Sophia, a social humanoid robot developed by Hanson Robotics where the storyline of Alex Garland’s 2014 film Ex Machina came to life and appeared to be able to think for itself.
Further cementing the idea that AI is far more advanced than many would give it credit, or at least, closer to bringing science fiction to life rather than merely being able to predict, or ‘think’ through a series of mathematical equations and pre-trialled experiences.
One of Altenar’s passionate professionals commented on the above question by saying ‘‘In many different industrial sectors computers already play a very dominant role in terms of production, speed, precision and multitasking. The greater technological advancements become, the more prominent computers will be in our daily lives. Will we face a possible "Skynet" situation in our future? Only time will tell.’
Quoting Alan Turing one of Altenar’s team members explained, ‘I would say that no, computers can’t replace human beings in the future, just because humans created the machines - the computers, as Turing stated in his famous paper of 1950: If we are able to explain and predict its behaviour or if there seems to be little underlying plan, we have little temptation to imagine intelligence.’
Ever the hopeful team behind the sportsbook software provider Altenar, has demonstrated one final heartwarming comment that seemed to have echoed through the ages: ‘Yes absolutely computers can replace humans. It is already happening. I hope that in the future all the manual labour jobs and tedious jobs will be replaced by robots, so that humans are able to focus on health, creativity, learning and social/emotional development.’
Of course, it wasn’t all robot overlords and a nihilistic approach to technology, as overall the consensus was positive and one thought resonated with the team at Altenar, that it wasn’t a question of machine vs human but a matter of machines with humans.
One Altenar employee noted in jest, ‘Computers already do, check Alty for example. If you don't know who Alty is, visit him @altenar.com.’
In line with that, if you’d like to see where machine and human come together harmoniously you can, in line with the above quote, visit Altenar’s website and request a demo of its sportsbook technology and have a chat with Alty.
