ON THE TOPIC OF | WORKING SMARTER
BETTER SHTEARRETS At Autodesk University in November, CEO
Andrew Anagnost described how technology
must be used more efficiently, to design
products that benefit society, and to create
better jobs. Tom Austin-Morgan reports.
There are big discrepancies
in the reporting of
how technology and
automation will affect our
futures, especially around jobs. The
mainstream media tends to publish
headlines that warn of automation
taking jobs from humans, whereas
technologists are more evangelical
about the future.
“Maybe the truth lies somewhere
in between,” Anagnost conceded.
“Because, although technology can be
a positive force, there are forces pulling
us in other directions. On the one hand,
we know that a growing population
is inevitable – as is a world with more
automation – because so much more is
needed. But at the same time, we fear
there will be less jobs and less of our
planet’s scarce resources.”
What do we know about the future
with any certainty? Anagnost said that
more and more people are joining the
middle class every day, over half the
global population in fact.
“I know there are many definitions
of what middle class is,” he added.
“Whatever your definition, the fact that
4 billion people enjoy mobility and
prosperity is enormously good news.
“But with this increasing prosperity
comes increasing demand: For more
housing; hotels; more automobiles; and
more airplanes. We know that more is
inevitable. As we make more things
for more people, we also know that
we create more potential for negative
impact. Making all we need with less
harm to the planet and people is a
reality that we all need to face up to.”
How can companies like Autodesk
help solve problems of such enormity
and complexity?
“It’s a massive challenge, but it’s
also a massive opportunity,” Anagnost
said. “There are three areas I think we
all have an impact on, and they’re all
completely interrelated.
“First, we have the opportunity
to better use the world’s energy and
materials. Using less is part of it, but
it’s also about better: more renewable
energy and more circular materials.
Better is also about the health and
resilience of the entire population, that
means designing products without
harmful materials that compromise
our safety, or using supply chains
that compromise people, it means
designing buildings that prioritise
health and well-being, and designing
cities that are resilient in the face of
climate change.
“Finally, we all know that automation
is changing jobs. But it’s also creating
the opportunity for more meaningful
work, better work, and a path to
prosperity for more people. Together,
we have an opportunity to create a
more sustainable, more equitable, and
more prosperous future. A future that’s
better for the growing middle class, but
also for those still striving to get there.”
One of the areas in which Autodesk
is working to reduce waste is in the
construction industry where it is
helping Marriott to build modular
hotels, combatting a shortage of
construction staff. Over the last five
years Marriot has built 30 low-rise
properties, but this year will open the
world’s tallest modular hotel. The 26
storey Nomad hotel in Manhattan, New
Each of Skystone’s
hotel rooms is a single,
self-contained module
that has been built and
fitted out in a factory
using the exact amount
of material needed.
20 WWW.EUREKAMAGAZINE.CO.UK | JANUARY 2020
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