Part 2/9:
At the heart of this shift lies labor substitution, the process where machines—be they robots, artificial intelligence, or automated systems—replace human workers when they can perform tasks more efficiently, safely, and cheaply. Automation isn't a recent phenomenon; it has been ongoing for centuries, but today it is reaching unprecedented sophistication and scope. The consequence is a continuous movement toward machines taking over roles that humans once performed, leading to concerns about widespread job displacement.