In
the
first
symposium
of
the
Waterloo
Symposium
on
Technology
&
Society series, Martin
Ford explores
the
ways
in
which
AI
and
automation
(aka,
“robots”)
are
outpacing
humans
in
a
range
of
sectors,
from
education
to
law,
agriculture
to
healthcare,
management
and
beyond.
He
offers
a
realistic
view
of
what
the
future
of
work—and
your
place
in
it—will
look
like.
Beyond
pragmatic
concerns,
Ford
addresses
a
bigger
question:
can
accelerating
technology
disrupt
our
entire
economic
system
to
the
point
where
a
fundamental
restructuring
is
required?
This
next
industrial
revolution,
Ford
argues,
will
not
be
like
the
last
one.
In
the
past,
even
as
jobs
were
eliminated,
jobs
were
created
to
replace
them.
Increasingly,
new
machines
will
be
able
to
take
care
of
themselves,
making
fewer
jobs
necessary. This
exciting
talk
is
both
an
exploration
of
this
new
technology
and
a
call
to
arms
to
address
its
implications.
Martin Ford is the founder of a Silicon Valley-based software development firm and the author of three books. He has over 25 years of experience in computer design and software development, and holds a computer engineering degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and a graduate business degree from UCLA. He has written for publications including Fortune, Forbes, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Project Syndicate, The Huffington Post and The Fiscal Times. Ford has also appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including programs on NPR and CNBC.
Ford's keynote lecture will be followed by a panel discussion with Ryan Gariepy, William Melek and Joël Blit, moderated by CSG Executive Director Mark Sedra. A reception with beer, wine, and soft drinks will conclude the symposium.
Registration is required.