We are doomed (注定遭殃): Robots will steal our jobs; Artificial intelligence (AI) will corrupt our free will; We are to be slaves to machines.

Economist Andy Haldane warns that large numbers of current labor will disappear as AI takes over. But no one predicts that AI might be good news.

Currently, there are 90,000 vacancies in social care and 24,000 in nursing. A labor shortage in British social services has risen from 7% six years ago to11% today. Education is suffering likewise.

The idea that AI, robots and 3D computer printing will make these booming industries unnecessary is silly. Clearly, new technology will mechanise (使机械化) a number of activities. As throughout history, innovation requires labor markets to change and people to retrain. The reality of economic history is that technology and trade make for short-term disruption (扰乱). But we survived and lived well as new needs and jobs appeared.

The latest phrase, the “fourth industrial revolution”, supposedly describes a new digital age. If there is to be a fourth revolution, it will be the complete opposite, a reversion(倒退) to the economy of human experience. The digital age will satisfy our life, freeing up leisure time for activities that are already in great demand. These cover everything from health, beauty, travel, food, the arts and entertainment to social work, the care of children and the elderly. These service industries essentially involve human relationships. They cannot be done by robots or machines. They are labor-intensive and they are costly, whether in the private or public sector. They are also booming. Leisure and travel is second in value only to financial services.

Economists interested in manufacturing statistics would do better to welcome AI as releasing workers into the experience economy. They should discuss how we are going to pay for them, especially those concentrated in the public sector. They should stop encouraging people into job protectionism.

In a world where the lines between work and home are increasingly blurred(模糊的), remote work is becoming a critical part of our daily routines. Whether you switch between working from home and the office, distant work has become a preferred method of working for many. With the rise of secure, efficient, and automatic tools, remote work is becoming more commonplace than ever before.

One such example of this is the popular secure video conferencing platform, Zoom. Zoom’s software is efficient and easy to use, making it a favorite among remote workers. The platform allows users to video conference with colleagues or clients in real-time, regardless of their location. It automatically encrypts(加密) all data transmissions, ensuring that information remains secure during remote meetings.

Another example is the rise of smart home devices, such as smart thermostats(恒温调节器) and security cameras. These devices can be automatically controlled by a secure remote command system, allowing users to adjust thermostats, monitor home security, and even instruct smart home devices to obey specific commands remotely.

Remote work can also offer a more ergonomic(人类工程学的) approach to working. By using adjustable desks and chairs, remote workers can switch between sitting and standing throughout their daily routine. This can help improve overall health and well-being while working from home or remotely.

Despite the efficiency and convenience remote work offers, it also poses some potential risks. One such waning is the potential for distancing between colleagues and clients. It’s important to remember to schedule regular face-to-face meetings to maintain personal relationships and build stronger relationships.

In conclusion, remote work has become an increasingly popular method of working in recent years, offering employees greater flexibility and efficiency while working from home or remotely. Secure, efficient, and automatic tools have made remote work more practical and convenient than ever before. However, it’s important to recognize the potential risks of remote work and take measures to avoid them. Switching between remote work and traditional office work can offer employees a more ergonomic and efficient approach to working.

American high school students who slept less than seven hours each night during the pandemic were more likely to struggle in school. That finding comes from a recent study from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.

For the study, the CDC questioned 7,705 students about their sleep schedules and success in school. More than two-thirds of the students said they experienced more difficulty in their schoolwork during the pandemic than before the pandemic. About 75 percent of the students did not sleep enough during the pandemic, the study found students who reported poor mental health during the pandemic were also more likely to get less sleep. Overall, 37 percent of the students said they struggled with their mental health during the pandemic. But about 50 percent of the students who slept five hours or less each night said they had poor mental health.

As students recover from learning loss due to the pandemic, “schools can consider including policies and practices known to improve sleep duration (持续时间)” the CDC said. Teenagers experience many physical changes when they go through puberty (青春期). A good sleep schedule can improve test performance. As children get older, there is a change in their body’s natural clock. Before puberty, children may feel sleepy around 8 or 9 at night. But when they become teenagers, the body’s clock changes to make them tied much later around 10 or 11 at night. Because of this, many teenagers may experience an inability to sleep.

Some school systems around the U.S. are pushing back start times for high schools so students can get more sleep. Usually, high schools start the earliest compared to middle and primary schools. The National Center for Education Statistics says the average start time for U.S. high schools is 8 a.m. But the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a start time of 8:30. The organization Start School Later supports pushing back school start times. It says at least 13, 000 school systems in the United States have pushed back start times.