NPR

What Automation Might Mean For The Shrinking Middle Class

A new report says automation could displace 2.5 million American workers per year, or more than three times the rate between 1970 and 1990, when computers revolutionized the global economy.
Shoppers enter and check out with purchases at the Amazon Go, on Jan. 22, 2018 in Seattle. After more than a year in beta, Amazon opened the cashierless store to the public. (Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)

A new report by Bain & Company says automation could displace 2.5 American million workers per year, or more than three times the rate between 1970 and 1990, when computers revolutionized the global economy. New jobs will replace many if not all of the old jobs lost to automation, but some economists worry those jobs won’t be able to support a middle-class lifestyle.

‘s Eric Westervelt () speaks with  (), co-director of the MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy and co-author of “Machine,

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
Barge Hits Bridge Connecting Galveston And Pelican Island, Causing Oil To Spill
The collision's impact sent pieces of the bridge, which connects Galveston to Pelican Island, tumbling on top of the barge and shut down a stretch of waterway so crews could clean up the spill.
NPR12 min read
Private Mission To Save The Hubble Space Telescope Raises Concerns, NASA Emails Show
When a private space traveler said he wanted to take a SpaceX capsule on a mission to improve the aging Hubble telescope, NASA studied the options. Internal emails show concern about the risk.
NPR8 min readAmerican Government
Anti-war Protests, A Chicago DNC: Is It 1968 All Over Again? Some Historians Say No
There are clear similarities between 1968 and 2024, from presidential elections and anti-war protests to new Planet of the Apes movies. But historians tell NPR there are some key differences too.

Related