[ckoglmeier]

^ Example A.

An alternative way to approach this, which the author of the article could also consider, is how might we, as technologists, build companies that help solve this problem?

For example, our country will have 3.5 M truckers (the most common profession in the US and in 46 of the 50 US States) out of jobs within 10 years due to automated trucking.

Option A: We cheer at the success of the automated trucking industry and ignore the impact (the 19th century robber barron approach)

Option B: We say "government clean up our mess" (the 21st century liberal approach)

Option C: We build companies, or organizations, that educate and employ those out of work truckers. (??)

Assuming we care about time periods longer than tomorrow, we cannot ignore the societal impacts of the companies and products we build. These cultural externalities are real; similar to the environmental externalities of the industrial revolution.

Its time for the entire tech community to decide what role our industry will play in society. We have a choice about if we want to be part of the solution - or just ignore it and wait for the coming societal chaos.

[tansey]

Educate them to do... what, exactly? What could Uber do with two million mostly-uneducated truck drivers that are scattered all through out the country? Most do not want to move, do not have the patience/desire/grit to go through long retraining periods for a vastly different job, and are currently making something in the neighborhood of $55K/yr. How could any company possibly be expected to help that large a workforce not take a dip in its standard of living, when literally the only skill they have is about to become nearly worthless? And how could you do it while still upholding your fiduciary responsibilities to your shareholders?

[mercer]

Agreed. This strikes me as the kind of thing that requires a government solution. Perhaps it means we should get our hands dirty (but not in that way!) and enter politics. As nice as it would be to solve problems doing what I am already good at and what I already like to do, sometimes a hammer isn't enough...

[Apocryphon]

This is exactly the type of solution that the much-hyped "innovation" of Silicon Valley should help address.