Introduction: Focus, Scope, and Structure of the Book

Since the onset of large-scale industrialization, technological progress has always both inspired images of great opportunities and induced fears about large-scale job loss. The history of technological progress has seen many instances where people have channeled their insecurity and fears about the future into panics or even violent attacks. Public sentiments about the arrival of the machine age were displayed in many dystopian books and movies, always reflecting the fear that humans might become obsolete or even subject to machines. Today, we see another instance where many discussions around the future of work emerge, fed by the fast development of ever smarter machines that enter our lives in all kinds of ways. Since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007, everyone seems to have a small powerful computer in their pockets. These devices have become able to talk to us and understand what we are saying, connecting us to our cars and home appliances, to our workplaces, and to people around the globe. Powerful platforms have emerged as the winners of this ever-improving technological capacity. Is now the time that machines are becoming as smart as people? Or even smarter than us? Will they take over not only physical work but also cognitive tasks? What will the future of work look like under these circumstances?