The Fourth Singularity and the Future of Jobs

Abstract

In recent years, millions of U.S. jobs have been outsourced to other countries with very low-wage rates. Moreover, a recent study noted that 40 percent of the jobs that remain in America are low-income jobs. This trend is not going away, and in fact is spreading. Even nations like China and India are beginning to find outsourcing profitable. As robots and computer systems become capable of more and more complex tasks, that once provided satisfying and well-paying jobs to humans, new approaches must be found to preserve the middle class as we know it in America. Although no complete solution appears feasible, this article offers suggestions for actions that government and businesses can take that may help mitigate the effects of outsourcing and slow the replacement of humans by machines in the white-collar workforce.