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Testing the Employment Impact of Automation, Robots and AI: A Survey and Some Methodological Issues

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  • Barbieri, Laura

    (Università Cattolica di Piacenza)

  • Mussida, Chiara

    (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

  • Piva, Mariacristina

    (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

  • Vivarelli, Marco

    (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore)

Abstract

The present technological revolution, characterized by the pervasive and growing presence of robots, automation, Artificial Intelligence and machine learning, is going to transform societies and economic systems. However, this is not the first technological revolution humankind has been facing, but it is probably the very first one with such an accelerated diffusion pace involving all the industrial sectors. Studying its mechanisms and consequences (will the world turn into a jobless society or not?), mainly considering the labor market dynamics, is a crucial matter. This paper aims at providing an updated picture of main empirical evidence on the relationship between new technologies and employment both in terms of overall consequences on the number of employees, tasks required, and wage/inequality effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Barbieri, Laura & Mussida, Chiara & Piva, Mariacristina & Vivarelli, Marco, 2019. "Testing the Employment Impact of Automation, Robots and AI: A Survey and Some Methodological Issues," IZA Discussion Papers 12612, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12612
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    Cited by:

    1. Giacomo Damioli & Vincent Van Roy & Daniel Vertesy & Marco Vivarelli, 2023. "AI technologies and employment: micro evidence from the supply side," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(6), pages 816-821, March.
    2. Mauro Caselli & Andrea Fracasso & Arianna Marcolin & Sergio Scicchitano, 2023. "The reassuring effect of firms' technological innovations on workers' job insecurity," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 45(4), pages 754-778, October.
    3. Antón, José-Ignacio & Fernández-Macías, Enrique & Winter-Ebmer, Rudolf, 2020. "Does Robotization Affect Job Quality? Evidence from European Regional Labour Markets," IZA Discussion Papers 13975, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Stefan Jestl, 2022. "Industrial Robots, and Information and Communication Technology: The Employment Effects in EU Labour Markets," wiiw Working Papers 215, The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies, wiiw.
    5. Dario Guarascio & Alessandro Piccirillo & Jelena Reljic, 2024. "Will robot replace workers? Assessing the impact of robots on employment and wages with meta-analysis," LEM Papers Series 2024/03, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    6. Guastella, Gianni & Mazzarano, Matteo & Pareglio, Stefano & Xepapadeas, Anastasios, 2022. "Climate reputation risk and abnormal returns in the stock markets: A focus on large emitters," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    7. Davide Dottori, 2021. "Robots and employment: evidence from Italy," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 38(2), pages 739-795, July.
    8. Cresti, Lorenzo & Dosi, Giovanni & Fagiolo, Giorgio, 2023. "Technological interdependencies and employment changes in European industries," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 41-57.
    9. Leibrecht, Markus & Scharler, Johann & Zhoufu, Yan, 2023. "Automation and unemployment: Does collective bargaining moderate their association?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 264-276.
    10. Liu, Liang & Yang, Kun & Fujii, Hidemichi & Liu, Jun, 2021. "Artificial intelligence and energy intensity in China’s industrial sector: Effect and transmission channel," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 276-293.
    11. Mazzarano, Matteo & Guastella, Gianni & Pareglio, Stefano & Xepapadeas, Anastasios & Borghesi, Simone, 2024. "“Carbon” boards and transition risk: Explicit and implicit exposure implications for total stock returns and dividends payouts," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    12. José-Ignacio Antón & David Klenert & Enrique Fernández-Macías & Maria Cesira Urzì Brancati & Georgios Alaveras, 2022. "The labour market impact of robotisation in Europe," European Journal of Industrial Relations, , vol. 28(3), pages 317-339, September.
    13. René Böheim & Michael Christl, 2022. "Mismatch unemployment in Austria: the role of regional labour markets for skills," Regional Studies, Regional Science, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 9(1), pages 208-222, December.
    14. Luigi Campiglio, 2020. "Lo Stato Sociale: da "lusso" a necessità," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Politica Economica dipe0008, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    15. Tommaso Rughi & Jacopo Staccioli & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2023. "Climate change and labour-saving technologies: the twin transition via patent texts," LEM Papers Series 2023/11, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    16. Oscar Afonso & Tiago Sequeira & Derick Almeida, 2023. "Technological knowledge and wages: from skill premium to wage polarization," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 140(2), pages 93-119, October.
    17. Jacopo Staccioli & Maria Enrica Virgillito, 2020. "The present, past, and future of labor-saving technologies," LEM Papers Series 2020/37, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    18. David Klenert & Enrique Fernández-Macías & José-Ignacio Antón, 2023. "Do robots really destroy jobs? Evidence from Europe," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 44(1), pages 280-316, February.
    19. Marco Vivarelli, 2022. "Innovation and employment: a short update," DISCE - Quaderni del Dipartimento di Politica Economica dipe0024, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Dipartimenti e Istituti di Scienze Economiche (DISCE).
    20. Klump, Rainer & Jurkat, Anne & Schneider, Florian, 2021. "Tracking the rise of robots: A survey of the IFR database and its applications," MPRA Paper 110390, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    21. Barth, Erling & Roed, Marianne & Schone, Pal & Umblijs, Janis, 2020. "How Robots Change Within-Firm Wage Inequality," IZA Discussion Papers 13605, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    22. Jasmine Mondolo, 2022. "The composite link between technological change and employment: A survey of the literature," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(4), pages 1027-1068, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    innovation; employment; skill; task; routine; technology;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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