With robotics and artificial intelligence spreading fast, New Zealand is being urged to act now to deal with the rise of the machines.
The Institute of Directors says we need to set up a working group to try to ensure artificial intelligence keeps working for us, and not the other way round.
We've always feared the worst when it comes to the rise of artificial intelligence. There's a 50 percent chance of artificial intelligence being smarter than us within 24 years.
"The question is, how are we going to make sure that the technology works for us and not us working for the technology?" says Institute of Directors CEO Simon Arcus.
Smartphones, fraud-detecting algorithms that catch anomalies in your credit card use and alert the bank it may have been be stolen and self-driving cars are all examples of how AI is already working to our benefit.
But as the industry grows, it could be at the expense of human jobs.
"The risk that you see from something like AI is obviously that there is major displacement of jobs, and we haven't thought about how to deal with that or how to reskill, reeducate and bring people into the new parts of the economy that will be created," says Mr Arcus.
Mr Arcus says many sectors should be investing more in AI technology to reach their full potential.
As for the workers, most aren't too fussed about needing to stop the machines.
But if we start preparing now, maybe it can.
Newshub.
