![\"A](\"\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/images\/product\/medium\/Robot%20Circle_675.jpg\")
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In the last 200 years 70% of jobs done by American workers have been replaced by automation \u2013 and during the next century we will see another automation revolution that replaces 70% of\u00a0American\u00a0jobs–again.<\/p>\n
![\"1941](\"\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/images\/product\/Product_Category\/1941-horse_plow.jpg\")
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Before you get upset about this statistic, let\u2019s go back 200 years. At that time 70% of American workers were farmers, and automation over the last 200 years has eliminated all but about 1% of the jobs those workers did. Automation? What kind of automation was available in the 1800\u2019s? Well, with the industrial revolution automation of labor resulted in mechanized plows and harvesters, manufacturing equipment, tractors and other farm equipment, and the now ubiquitous automobile.<\/p>\n
So, what\u2019s my point here? That even though 70% of existing American jobs disappeared over the last 200 years, we still yet have a robust labor force and jobs available for most who seek to work.<\/p>\n
So, let\u2019s take a look at what robotics offers \u2013 what makes it reasonable to replace human labor? First, the cost of robotics continues to decline as technology develops (microchips, miniaturized circuitry, etc.). As those costs come down, developers are able to create less costly ways of doing the drudge work of industry \u2013 putting bolts on a car engine, picking up and placing a pallet for loading product, monotonous spot welding \u2013 repetitive, boring or dangerous jobs most people don\u2019t care to do. Jobs that are generally low paying.<\/p>\n![\"Palletizing](\"\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/images\/product\/medium\/bag-palletizing-slide.jpg\")
We now face another automation revolution as robotic technology<\/strong><\/a> grows and expands in the industrial realm. Many American workers worry that their jobs will become obsolete and leave them without the ability to make an income, but the truth is that as robots replace certain functions, new positions will evolve out of the changing face of American industrialization \u2013 just like they did as automation replaced functions in farming and manufacturing two centuries ago.<\/p>\n
![\"Tool](\"\/\/www.cisco-eagle.com\/images\/product\/Product_Category\/Robot-ToolTending.jpg\")
So, what\u2019s to come of human labor? It\u2019s not as frightening as it appears. Adding robots to industrial work means that workers now have the opportunity to work in jobs that require imagination, adaptability and decision making skills. Another factor to consider is that our labor force is shrinking as population growth declines. Robots will be replacing positions that might otherwise go unfilled. Additionally, as automation increases, new products and new jobs are created that need additional workers.<\/p>\n![\"Automation](\"\/\/images.cisco-eagle.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/Automation_Request.jpg\")
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