Silicon Valley does need to create more jobs…but not in tech.
WHEN DONALD TRUMP met with technology leaders in December to tell them he wanted them to create jobs in the U.S., their heads probably tilted to the side, as when you explain physics to your dog and she just watches your lips move and wonders when, among all those unfamiliar sounds, she is going to hear the word treat. Tech leaders aren’t in the business of creating jobs. They’re in business to help us do more with less. They like innovation and disruption and software eating the world. But people—eh, not so much.
In his own Chance-the-gardener way, the president-elect might be onto something. His victory was a middle-finger salute from those who feel left out by technology and globalization. The tech industry’s trend is toward leaving more people out by automating yet more lower-level jobs while creating only high-skilled jobs. It’s becoming clear that if tech doesn’t change that trajectory, the consequences might look something like the Visigoths attacking Rome in A.D. 410.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Alphabet CEO Larry Page and a bunch of their peers slinked into Trump Tower on December 14 for a meeting with the president-elect, who doesn’t use a computer, probably has never used Uber and no doubt thinks Slack is what he finds at the tips of his gloves. If you can imagine how top neurosurgeons would react to a lecture on the brain by the Barefoot Contessa—well, that’s how the tech leaders must have felt in this session.
Trump reportedly told the group they need to create more U.S. jobs—and not just for artificial intelligence specialists in Silicon Valley. He apparently emphasized that to make a difference, tech would need to invest in boots-onthe-ground jobs in the middle of the country.
Esta historia es de la edición January 06 - 13, 2017 de Newsweek Europe.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición January 06 - 13, 2017 de Newsweek Europe.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
Red Cows, Gaza And The End Of The World
As the Israel-Hamas war rages on, the Third Temple movement is ramping up its bid to reclaim a contested holy site in Jerusalem currently home to ancient Islamic shrines
An Ecstatic Anniversary
Sarah McLachlan is touring this summer, 30 years after the release of 'Fumbling Towards Ecstasy,' the album that made her a star
'WE ARE FACING THE MOST COMPLEX SECURITY ENVIRONMENT SINCE WORLD WAR II'
Japan's prime minister on security, diplomacy and protecting the rule of law at home, in Asia and around the world
JAPAN'S CALL TO ARMS
As the 'peace-loving nation' doubles its defense spending, Prime Minister FUMIO KISHIDA explains why it needs to take an assertive stance to counter China and North Korea
The Secret to Being an ADHD Whisperer
Loosening up and ceding control are some of the most important strategies for making life easier for a neurodiverse loved one
Fertility Clinics 2024
FOR THOSE LOOKING TO EXPAND THEIR FAMILIES, FERTILITY CLINICS CAN BE A VITAL OPTION
'I AM ALWAYS IN THE MOMENT'
India's prime minister on his goals, his critics and his 'god-gifted' ability to listen
MODI'S MOMENT
INDIA'S LEADER is SHAPING the COUNTRY in his OWN ASSERTIVE IMAGE
Resurgence of Global Mayhem
While the world watches Gaza, ISIS is gaining strength and momentum, building networks and preparing for strikes worldwide
Who Rules Gaza When The Fighting Stops?
With no clear leader coming to the fore, questions remain about how the devastated territory will be managed