Education, opportunity and the future of work in the fourth Industrial Revolution

Keynote
Phillip Brown, School of Social Sciences, Cardiff University.

Abstract
It is widely believed digital technologies are transforming all aspects of economy and society, driven by scientific advances across interdisciplinary fields and innovations relating to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, etc. But what, if anything, is revolutionary about these developments and what are the implications for the neo-liberal opportunity bargain based on a market competition where ‘learning equals earning’. This talk outlines different interpretations of the ‘fourth industrial revolution’ presenting contrasting theories of labour scarcity and job scarcity. It also draws on research findings from the Digital Futures of Work International Research Programme, to highlight why we need to rethink education, opportunity and the future of work in a context of increasing job scarcity. This is urgent not because we are approaching the end of work, but the end of ‘knowledge’ work as understood in public policy, with no viable solution to how to create in a new opportunity bargain for a fair and efficient future of work.