Robots Vs. Illegal Immigrants Vs. Americans: The Coming Jobs War

As Obama reportedly plans to grant work permits to millions of illegal immigrants, a new Pew Research Center Internet and American Life Project survey says people think robots are taking over the jobs market.

Nearly half, 48%, of the 1,896 people queried said robots will eliminate jobs overall. The other 52% said robots will lead to job creation.

Here’s the question that Pew asked: “Self-driving cars, intelligent digital agents that can act for you and robots are advancing rapidly. Will networked, automated, artificial intelligence applications and robotics devices have displaced more jobs than they have created by 2025?”

What do you think?

Momentum Machines cofounder Alexandros Vardakostas says his robotic burger making “device isn’t meant to make employees more efficient, it’s meant to completely obviate them.”

Think about it. Robots don’t fatigue. They don’t ask for time off. And they don’t sue or seek pay raises.

“A number of the respondents warned that this aspect of technical evolution will lead to vast increases in income inequality, masses of people who are effectively unemployable and the possibility of breakdowns in the social order,” researcher Aaron White said.

And as cities and states like Seattle and Massachusetts raise their minimum wages, $15 and $11 respectfully–and as franchise owners fight these mandated wage increases–a relatively cheap and efficient robotic workforce becomes more appetizing.