Alexandra Mizzi, an associate in the employment team at law firm Howard Kennedy, explores the problems that are arising, and could arise, as a result of increasing automation in the workplace.
It seems every day sees a new dire warning about the effect that robots will have on the job market. With Deloitte estimating that 11 million UK jobs are at high risk of becoming automated within the next 20 years, the impact will be felt across the economy – including many high-skilled and professional jobs. “I for one welcome our robot overlords,” may become less of a B-movie trope and more likely to be adopted as a corporate motto.
Although most experts agree it will still be some time before robots can convincingly simulate human intelligence, they are undoubtedly growing both more sophisticated and more ubiquitous – and the calls for a legal framework for their use are becoming harder for governments to ignore. The next decade is likely to see a rash of legislative attempts to regulate robotics. While security, privacy and safety are likely to be top of the priority list, some legislators are already beginning to grapple with more abstract, even philosophical issues such as the legal status and rights of robots....