We are living at the crossroads of the future, where automation , Artificial Intelligence, and code are being used heavily. Although the use of technology is increasing, it is neither new nor the first time workers have had to deal with the possible threat of being replaced by machines. In the film, Hidden Figures , NASA transitions from human computers to machine computers. Mathematicians, Katherine Johnson , Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson broke down gender and racial walls while learning how to operate the machines that had the potential to replace them. Today, we see more and more companies moving toward automation to cut costs and drive profits. ‌Technical innovations come at a rapid pace, but once these innovations are on the market, these machines and computers will need someone with the technical skills to keep production running. This is our opportunity as Blacks in America. Since we have not transitioned to a world of total automation, we have an opportunity to get the...

Self-driving cars used to be something only found in sci-fi and superhero movies, but they’re quickly becoming a reality. Waymo, the self-driving car company owned by Alphabet, has announced it is opening a factory in Detroit. Waymo is partnering with American Axle & Manufacturing to repurpose an existing facility that will house the production of the company’s L4 autonomous vehicles. The factory is set to open later this year. “We wanted this facility to benefit from a location in southeast Michigan — the heart of the American automotive industry — and its strong talent base,” Waymo said in a blog post. The factory is set to bring more than 400 jobs to the Motor City, giving it the economic push that it needs. Detroit filed for bankruptcy more than five years ago, as it suffered from more than $18 billion of debt, according to NPR. The city has since climb itself out of an economic hole and more tech companies have set its eyes on Detroit as they look to expand. Twitter and Google...

This article originally published on March 3, 2019 Photographer, Jimmy Nelson, wants to use artificial intelligence to ensure stories and images of indigenous peoples aren’t lost while western culture continues to dominate the internet. The Preservation Robot — unveiled this week at SXSW —  is an automated platform amplifying images of indigenous people on the internet with the goal of protecting these seemingly forgotten cultures. “Indigenous culture is visually underrepresented – and often misrepresented,” Nelson said during his unveiling . “I’m taking a stand by launching The Preservation Robot. Using technology to invert homogenization.” Westernization and the rise of globalization have put indigenous peoples in danger of having their cultures erased, according to Nelson. This program wants to help combat that. The robot uses autonomy and artificial intelligence to place images of indigenous peoples in open spaces on the internet. These spaces include social platforms and free...

The changes artificial intelligence will have on the workforce will be substantial in years to come. And now, according to Tech Crunch , companies that are automating repetitive tasks are seeing big valuations as businesses look to replace their office workers. Tech brands UiPath and Automation Anywhere each develop automation robotics and have recently received notable amounts of funding. UiPath earned $225 million in its last funding round, while Automation Anywhere, whose customers include Google, Unilever and Comcast, received $250 million. Companies across various industries want to automate customer support, scheduling, hiring and employee analytics and investors are pouring into the places that know how to make it happen. Sequoia Capital and Alphabet’s CapitalG led the funding for UiPath and helped bring the company to $408 million in funding and a $3 billion valuation. Goldman Sachs invested in Automation Anywhere’s latest funding round, bringing the robot-maker to a $1.8...