The march of automation

Regarding “How automation is splitting country’s workforce in two,” Business, Feb. 11: Attending the 1964 New York World’s Fair, I was impressed with the life of leisure we were going to see thanks to automation. It stuck with me all these many years later. Elephant in the room is now being discussed — where do people earn a living to pay for the leisure time? Glad to see it appearing more in the business section and the topic coming to the fore. We are good at envisioning changes and improvements, but not their consequences. How we deal with that will determine how we survive as a species.

Kathy Servello, Alameda

Need real intelligence

Regarding “Feds push AI research” (Daily Briefing, Feb. 12): So President Trump has signed an executive order directing federal agencies to prioritize research and development in artificial intelligence? Doesn’t this country already have enough AI in the White House? Our government should be advocating for RI — real intelligence — on crucial matters like climate change and its impact on the environment. That would be a refreshing change from the “alternative facts,” which the current administration offers the American public on a daily basis.

Felicia Charles, Millbrae