Technology is not inherently automating or deskilling. Rather, technology can either increase expertise by eliminating supporting tasks (allowing focus on valuable expertise) or deskill work by automating the expert parts and leaving only lower-skill last-mile tasks. The outcome depends on how tools are designed and deployed.

causalpending

Speaker

David Autor

Evidence Quote

automation can either increase the expertise of your work by eliminating the supporting tasks...or it can deskill your work by automating the expert parts...both are possible [21:48]

Source

A Threat Bigger than China | MIT Economist David AutorReid Hoffman
Created: 8/11/2026, 6:32:32 AM

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