Don’t fear rise of the robots, speakers to tell summit in Belfast
NORTHERN Ireland can find a way to adapt to automation and get the best out of people and machines, an event today will hear.
The Future of Work Solutions Summit is expected to attract nearly 300 people, and has been organised by Catalyst Inc to examine the impact that automation will have on the employment market.
Steve Orr, director of Connect at Catalyst Inc, said there was no need for alarmism over automation. “We had to provide a substantial opportunity for our business community and our educationalists to have a real say not just in identifying the threats, but in making very real suggestions as to how we tackle this global issue.”
Ravin Jesuthasan, a contributor to the World Economic Forum and managing director at financial services firm Willis Towers Watson — who will speak at the event at Belfast’s Waterfront — said: “It’s time to move beyond alarmist rhetoric about workplace automation and consider how human-machine collaboration can deliver a higher level of productivity.”
A number of companies including Coca-Cola HBC, Willowbrook Foods and Liberty IT are expected to share their experiences at the summit of how automation has benefited them.
Ian Sheppard, UK managing director of sponsor Bank of Ireland UK, said: “We have a heritage of invention and innovation, but collectively we need to think differently.”