Trey Drechsel

Aaron Lutz

Ryan McArthur

Emily McLennan

Alex Shane

The Ethics of Automation

Background and History

• First Robot: steam powered bird called “The Pigeon”
• 1964: Lyndon B. Johnson: Blue-Ribbon National Commision on Technology, Automation, and Economic Progress
• 9 states have enacted laws governing vehicle automation.

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Case Study: McDonald’s, Red Robin, and More

Examples:

McDonald's Interactive Customer POS

More restaurants replacing human tasks with automation:

• Chili’s
• Red Robin
• Applebees

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Ethical Principles

For

Accuracy, Cost, and Sanitation: Utilitarian Benefit

• Minimizes human error
• Exponentially less expensive for the company
• Less human contact minimizes food-borne illnesses

Against

Job Loss: Utilitarian Benefit

• Autonomation will result in job loss for cashiers, resulting in high volume job loss and hurting many people

Relationship Loss: Caring / Building Community

• Automation reduces the number of employees working, taking away relationships and community between employees and customers

Case Study: Autopilot in Cars - Tesla

Autonomous driving is not perfect but exhibits a lower fatal accident rate than human drivers, increasing roadway safety.

Examples:

Human Driver Errors

Autonomous Crash Prevention

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Ethical Principles

For

Safety: Utilitarian Benefit

• Autonomous vehicles can be programmed to be safer than human drivers, thereby benefitting society as a whole

Against

Job Loss: Fairness / Distributive Justice

• Autonomous vehicles have the potential to put taxi and bus drivers out of work thereby harming honest, hard workers

Potential Legal Requirement for Automation: Liberty / Individual Rights

• If every future car has autonomous capabilities and automated driving is undeniably safer, humans may lose the right to choose to drive their own cars

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Case Study: Factory Safety, Quality Management, and Efficiency

Automated material handling can reduce damaged inventory, increase efficiency, and operate at a lower cost.

Humans can be removed from dangerous situations.

Examples:

Forklift Operator Accident

Amazon Automated Fulfillment Center

Ethical Principles

For

Facility Safety: Utilitarian Benefit

• Automation in factories minimizes the potential hazards that humans could encounter, which would improve facility safety for all workers.

Automation is Environmentally Friendly: Sustainability

• Automation in factories requires less energy conserving natural resources.

Against

Job Loss: Fairness / Distributive Justice

• Automation in factories eliminates the need for many line workers, harming honest workers and their families.

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Summary of Ethical Principles

Pro-Automation Anti-Automation

Class Discussion

1. Is it ethical for McDonald’s to replace cashier jobs with automated service stations? Why or why not?
1. What would you do in this scenario if you were a McDonald’s executive faced with this dilemma?
2. What are your thoughts about vehicle automation? Do the benefits outweigh the risks?

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Class Discussion

3. Should there be government regulations on when, how, and/or how much businesses can leverage automation technology? Why or why not?

4. What are your thoughts on factory automation? Is it worth automating manufacturing processes for the sake of productivity? Why or why not?

Class Discussion

5. What should corporations do when what is in the best interest of the shareholders may not be in the best interest of the employees? Does automation fall into this category?

6. In your opinion, what is the most convincing argument for or against the rise of automation in industry?

7. Where do you think automation will take our world within the next 20 years?

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Thank You!