Few narratives in economics and social policy are as alarmist as the one about the penetration of automation and artificial intelligence into the workplace, especially in manufacturing. Craig Torres digs into the story and finds the automation paradox: The infusion of artificial intelligence, robotics and big data into the workplace is elevating human expertise. More than ever, we need human ingenuity to reinvent a process or rapidly solve problems in an emergency.

Also, Stephanie and Bloomberg opinion’s Noah Smith discuss whether there are lessons to be found in the industrial revolution, and what the future of technology might look like.