Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:03 pm on 23 January 2018.
Yes, it's a tricky one isn't it? Does there come a point where automation is so comprehensive that there aren't enough people with money in their pockets to buy what the robots make? When does that point come? Nobody knows; we've not been in the situation before. But he asks an important question: how do we look to cope and deal with and to prosper from the changes that will come in the future? Well, we are already examining the impact of technology and data on public service delivery—for example, the digital and data group provides a forum for sharing best practice on that. It's part of the economic action plan and we do engage regularly with businesses and stakeholders to discuss the potential impact and opportunities of digital technologies. If we look at innovative tech, well, of course, we're already considering the opportunities of artificial intelligence: M7 Managed Services, in partnership with IBM, opened an artificial intelligence centre of competence last December and, of course, the centre of excellence in mobile and emerging technologies at the University of South Wales is working with businesses to see how businesses can benefit from the challenges of the future, meet those challenges, and, of course, continue to provide jobs for people.