Software Automation
Impact of Automation

Introduction

Automation is no longer a future trend – it is the machinery, software and AI quietly reshaping how we work, what we buy and even how much energy we use.

Consider these four snapshots drawn from current Australian and international reports:

• In 2022, 195 Australians were fatally injured at work. Heavy-vehicle collisions and machinery incidents still dominate the list, showing how much room there is for safer, automated equipment to take the dirtiest and deadliest tasks off human hands. data.safeworkaustralia.gov.au
  
  

• Globally, employers expect almost one job in four to change by 2027 as automation, AI and the green-energy transition spread through every industry. Some roles will disappear, but new, more technical roles are forecast to out-strip them if workers can reskill in time. Investopedia
  
  

• Manufacturers that couple sensors with “digital-twin” optimisation have already cut scrap waste by roughly 20 % in consumer-electronics plants – less raw material mined, less landfill created and lower carbon per unit produced. McKinsey & Company
  
  

• On the flip side, the electricity appetite of automation and AI is soaring. The International Energy Agency projects that power drawn by data-centre AI workloads will more than quadruple by 2030, rivalling today’s entire Japanese grid. IEA
  
  

Read each example again and ask yourself three questions:

1. Who benefits most if this statistic grows?

2. Who carries the risk or cost?

Research Task

1. Choose

Each pair should choose one of the five impacts of automation below.

1. Worker safety

2. People with disability

3. Employment skills

4. Environment & waste

5. Economy & wealth distribution

2. Research & Curate Evidence

• Find at least one recent statistic or piece of evidence from a reputable source (e.g., government statistics like ABS, research bodies like CSIRO, official reports).

• Decide: Does your evidence point to a Risk (a potential negative outcome) or an Opportunity (a potential benefit)?

• Explain the 'Flip-side': Acknowledge the complexity. If it’s an opportunity, what's a related challenge? If it's a risk, is there a potential upside or mitigating factor? (E.g., Opportunity: Safer jobs; Flip-side Risk: Workers needing new skills).

• Record your source: Title and URL/Organisation.

• Guiding questions for your analysis: What does the evidence show? Why is it a risk/opportunity? Who is most affected? What's the counter-argument or nuance (flip-side)?

3. Create

• Prepare a short presentation (e.g., 2-3 slides) to explain automation's impact in your chosen area.

• Clearly state the risks and opportunities, backed by your evidence.

• Use minimal text. Incorporate visuals where possible (simple charts, relevant icons, diagrams).

5. Teach

• Each pair teachers the class about their chosen area of impact.

• Use your slides to support your presentation.

• Around 1-2 minutes including some Q&A.