The Silicon Factor | Will Technology Put an End to Jobs? (1980)

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The Silicon Factor | Will Technology Put an End to Jobs? (1980)

"The capacity to control society because of this technology is almost limitless, unfortunately - that's why we have to be so vigilant it's untrue."

How will the silicon chip affect the quality of our lives and our attitudes to work? Starting at the hyper-modern Washington Metro in the US, Bernard Falk visits places that have already adopted new technology to find out what could be in store for white collar, blue collar and professional workers in the next decade.

What kinds of jobs will change or disappear? Are there areas where employment will increase? What will be the effects on various professions? How must our attitudes change if we are to enjoy the benefits of this new technological revolution and not suffer its worst effects?

Bernard talks to Cody Pfanstiehl - the Director of the Washington Metro, Cheryl Weinthal - a secretary at Citibank whose uses word processors, spreadsheets and electronic mail from the comfort of her workstation, Robert E White - the Executive Vice President of Citibank, Barrie Sherman - Director of Research at the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs union, Edwin Nixon - Managing Director of IBM UK, Philip Reasbeck - Chief Scientist at Lucas Industries, Jim Howe - the head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence at Edinburgh University, Anthony A Gunn - a consultant surgeon who sees the potential benefits of computers for aiding junior doctors with diagnosis, computer scientist Christopher Evans, and computer consultant Ray Curnow.

Clip taken from General Studies: The Silicon Factor, originally broadcast on BBC Two, 3 March, 1980.

00:00 - Washington Metro automation

04:11 - Barcodes and Lasers at a Texas Supermarket

05:27 - Citibank New York, high tech office

09:11 - Laser Discs and the computer storage revolution

10:05 - Information Technology and the workforce

12:25 - Communications revolution and electronic mail

13:21 - Facial recognition technology in West Germany

13:50 - Big data and the fear of social control

14:51 - A two-tier society?

15:20 - The need for education

15:39 - Edinburgh University technology lessons