In the year 1984, the first of the landmark films of the “Terminator” series was released. Focusing largely on the theme of technology and robots dominating humanity after advancing to levels of intelligence equal or higher than humans, the movie was a huge success and spawned an entire chain of subsequent films. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the monotone sounding Austrian, captured audiences with his performance in the action packed production. For years, following the invention of the Internet and all the advances that technology has made over some five decades, many individuals across the world have focused heavily on the threat that robots and related inventions may one day pose to humanity.
One area of technology which has become the subject of worry by economic experts and a talking point for politicians is artificial intelligence. Indeed, artificial intelligence or “AI” as it is referred to in an abbreviated form, has advanced rapidly over recent years, and continues to grow in capabilities in the present. Goldman Sachs recently published a report that alleged that millions of individuals may be at risk of losing employment to the technology as it advances, and that over a quarter of the entirety of the American workforce may be vulnerable. In fields like customer service, data, and even accounting among others, technology poses a true threat to the livelihoods of many. In Brooklyn, New York, the District Attorney recently announced 21 websites were shut down by his office that had allegedly been scamming people into making fake investments in cryptocurrency. He warned people to be on guard.
Increasingly, digital currencies and online transactions are becoming the norm. Less and lass establishments are accepting cash as a form of payment. Indeed, many sports venues, amusement parks, concert halls, and other places no longer even accept cash. One major retailer, Target, recently announced that it will soon cease accepting personal checks. America is increasingly, deliberately moving towards a “cashless” reality.
