Machines might not take your job. But they could make it worse
How robots and AI change the meaningfulness of work
![An illustration of a woman sitting in an office chair that has a robot hand underneath instead of wheels.](https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240727_WBD001.jpg)
July 19th was a day for help-desk heroes and support superstars. A routine software update by CrowdStrike, a cyber-security company, caused computer outages in offices, hospitals and airports worldwide. Most white-collar workers looked disconsolately at their screens and realised just how useless they are if they cannot log in. People in IT came to the rescue of helpless colleagues and stranded passengers. Their work that day was full of stress—but also full of meaning.
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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Machines and the meaning of work”
Business July 27th 2024
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