This is very misleading thing to say. Yes, work is important. Yes, it can give us meaning. But so: family, community, culture or helping others. Don't worry, people will figure this out for themselves as they did for last thousands of years without paycheck.

I found this episode very weak and skipping over various economic and social problems we have in the United States. There were really no hard questions asked, and it hearkened to a rather vague Reaganomics point at the end. I'm just very frustrated, not because it was contrary my beliefs, but really no merit worthy explanation or analysis was provided. It was just a puff-piece saying don't freak out, which may have been the point. Yet to whom was it telling not to freak out? Hint not drivers.

as if there were enough meaningful jobs for 7.6bn people to fill fufiled and "part of something bigger"

Really cool stuff! Check our content as we have some similar podcasts!

There's no question automation is taking over more and more aspects of work and some jobs altogether. But we're now entering a "third era" of automation, one which went from taking over dangerous work to dull work and now decision-making work, too.

So what will it take to deal with a world -- and a workplace -- where machines could be thought of as colleagues? The key lies in distinguishing between automation vs. augmentation, argue the guests on this episode of the a16z Podcast, IT management professor Thomas Davenport and Harvard Business editor Julia Kirby, who authored the new book Only Humans Need Apply: Winners and Losers in the Age of Smart Machines. 

But the argument isn't as simple as saying humans will just do the creative, emotionally intelligent work and that machines will do the rest. The future of work is complex and closely tied to the need for structure, identity, and meaning. Which is also why linking the discussion of things like "universal basic income" to the topic of automation isn't just unnecessary, but depressing and even damaging (or so argue the guests on this episode).

a16z Podcast: Automation, Jobs, & the Future of Work (and Income)

The a16z Podcast discusses tech and culture trends, news, and the future -- especially as ‘software eats the world’. It features industry experts, business leaders, and other interesting thinkers and voices from around the world. This podcast is produced by Andreessen Horowitz (aka “a16z”), a Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm. Multiple episodes are released every week; visit a16z.com for more details and to sign up for our newsletters and other content as well!

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