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I've heard the argument that this situation is unique to japan due to their aging population and low birthrate. They don't have cheap teenagers to exploit at m
by zawerf 8y ago
I've heard the argument that this situation is unique to japan due to their aging population and low birthrate.
They don't have cheap teenagers to exploit at minimum wages which is why automation is even financially worth it. The amount they are spending ($887 million) can hire 60,000 years of labor at $15,000/yr.
- mschuster91 8y agoThe point is, it's introduced there because it's profitable even if the robots suck but are more productive as a human. The experiences gained, though, will lead to the robots becoming cheaper and cheaper until the robots are on par with Western wages, and then hell will break loose. Japanese society right now is paying the R&D and the western countries, especially the US, will suck up all the profits. The one question that remains, though: who will buy all the products when large swaths of the population don't have a job to feed themselves?
- gkanai 8y ago> I've heard the argument that this situation is unique to japan due to their aging population and low birthrate. There are many other countries (Italy, S. Korea, others) that have the same aging population and low birthrate.