How will AI and automation transform society and cities?

11/22/2020

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by   Gevorg Yeghikyan, et al.

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Against the backdrop of rising anxiety and discussions on the impact of AI on society, I explore in this article the structural possibilities of AI and automation triggering a new social conflict between the current capitalist elites and the emerging "creative class" (R D scientists, engineers, business developers, etc.), and how this conflict can produce social tensions and transform urban space. By drawing insights from a structurally similar conflict in 17-18th century Europe between the aristocracy and the emerging bourgeoisie, the impact of this conflict on the social, spatial, and power landscapes in cities of that time, as well as current trends in urban geography, this article outlines the prospects of urban transformations under changing production and consumption economies.