Don’t fear an AI-induced jobs apocalypse just yet
The West suffers from too little automation, not too much
“I think we might exceed a one-to-one ratio of humanoid robots to humans,” Elon Musk declared on March 1st. Coming from the self-styled technoking of Tesla, it was not so much a prediction as a promise. Mr Musk’s car company is developing one such artificially intelligent automaton, codenamed Optimus, for use at home and in the factory. His remarks, made during Tesla’s investor day, were accompanied by a video of Optimus walking around apparently unassisted.
Explore more
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Where are all the robots?”
Discover more
Could seaweed replace plastic packaging?
Companies are experimenting with new ways to reduce plastic waste
Has Sequoia Capital outgrown its business model?
Venture capital’s hardiest perennial gets back to its roots
On stupid rules and quick wins
Why every boss can benefit from asking employees what most infuriates them
TikTok wants Western consumers to shop like the Chinese
It still has some convincing to do
Will the trouble ever end for Volkswagen and its rivals?
From strikes to Trump tariffs, calamities abound
After Northvolt’s failure, who will make Europe’s EV batteries?
The continent looks ever more reliant on Asian producers