News Updates

“Society must begin to be much more serious about understanding the potential for information technology and robotics to cause disruptive changes to the labor market over the next few decades,” an analyst recently noted in Issues, adding that the “scale and speed of this potential change are too great to be able to depend on ordinary economic adjustment to smooth out disruptions in the labor market.” Along this line, the New York Times just examined challenges that people will face in finding good jobs in the coming technology-enriched workplace as well as some new public-private partnerships aimed at preparing people for the future of work.

Three recent hurricanes—Harvey, Lane, and now Florence—set rainfall records, and research is suggesting that hurricanes are slowing down, taking in more water, and growing bigger, likely because of climate change. To aid in preparing the United States for a stormier future, analysts have proposed in Issues a set of actions that governments, communities, businesses, and researchers should take to better understand and adapt to global warming and its consequences.

A group of experts meeting under the auspices of the United Nations recently examined how to control the use of lethal autonomous weapons, but reached no final conclusions. In Issues, an analyst who looked at artificial intelligence (AI) more broadly has proposed that at a minimum, the weapons must be subject to oversight by fast-acting AI systems—“AI Guardians”—that can ensure their safe and ethical operation. Similarly, fitting autonomous weapons with an “ethical governor” is explored here.

A growing number of states and counties are offering prisoners addicted to opioidsmore medical options to help them quit, improving their chances of recovery and reducing their likelihood of return. Rhode Island shows what might be achieved. In Issues, analysts have previously cited the importance of treating incarcerated addicts, as part of broader efforts to improve overall health care within correctional systems and ultimately benefit inmates’ home communities.