Historians are examining what past technological revolutions can teach us about the rise of artificial intelligence. They point out that innovations from the assembly line to the internet repeatedly changed how people work and live, and each shift brought widespread anxiety about jobs and economic organisation.
Public debate grew after an entrepreneur, Matt Shumer, posted on X on February 10 that he was "no longer needed" for the technical work of his job; the post has 86 million views and sharpened concern about how quickly AI may alter work. One notable difference today is pace: tools such as Anthropic’s Claude Opus 4.6 can write complex computer code, analyse data and generate reports in seconds. These systems can also run multiple tasks in parallel through a process called multi-agent teaming, increasing their practical reach.
Two political economy historians, Louis Hyman—who studies labour, capitalism and changes in American work—and Angus Burgin—who studies intellectual history and the political economy of technology—offer perspective on the current shift. Their conversations, combined and edited for flow, aim to show how historical patterns can inform responses to AI-driven change and to highlight the main concerns for work, regulation and social effects. The piece originally appeared on Futurity.
Difficult words
- innovation — new methods, ideas or technologies introducedinnovations
- anxiety — strong worry about future or present events
- entrepreneur — person who starts and runs a new business
- pace — speed at which something happens or changes
- multi-agent teaming — process where multiple systems perform tasks at once
- labour — work done by people, especially in jobs
- regulation — official rules or laws that control activity
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How can lessons from past technological revolutions help societies respond to AI-driven change? Give examples.
- What concerns about jobs and economic organisation does the article raise, and do you think those concerns are justified? Explain your view.
- What kinds of regulation or policies might address the rapid pace of AI development? Describe one or two possible measures and their effects.
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