*By Conor White*
Automation doesn't have to be a job-killer.
That's according to Wade Foster, the CEO of Zapier, which creates technology that allows different workplace apps to communicate with each other.
"The key thing that automation provides is it allows machines to do the things they are really, truly best at," explained Foster in an interview on Cheddar Wednesday. "And then it allows humans the creative angle to work. We're able to find better stories to tell our customers, we're better able to invent new ways of doing things that we haven't done before."
It might be a good thing for those in sectors like technology and media, but others ー those, for example, in manufacturing industries ー will feel the negative effects of technological advances. The World Economic Forum estimates that five million jobs will be lost to automation by 2020. In an interview Wednesday on Cheddar, Foster said it's important not to forget about those workers.
"When you look at blue collar work and things like that, I think we will have to find ways to transition the knowledge that's learned there to help folks find new ways of helping society move forward."
Overall, Foster is optimistic when it comes to automation and about the impact it will have on the world at large.
"Instead of replacing jobs, it's actually helping \[companies\] achieve more, grow revenue," he said. "And in turn they're able to actually create more jobs because they're better able to do things they haven't been able to do before."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/could-automation-actually-be-good-for-workers).
Microsoft recently announced the standalone Teams Essentials as businesses continue to update their practices for the new norm of hybrid work life. Jared Spataro, corporate VP at Microsoft Modern Work, joined Cheddar to talk about solutions the tech giant has rolled out in order to help underserved small and medium-sized companies continue operations seamlessly. "We're excited about the opportunity to serve their needs better, and that, in particular, is focused on their meeting and communication needs," he said. "We start with Teams, which has been a wildly successful product for us up in the enterprise space, and now we have created a form of Teams that is particularly suited for small businesses."
No matter what you're in the market for this holiday season, there is one way that you can put some cash back in your pocket and stretch your gift budget a little bit further this year. With Lolli, for every gift you buy for someone else, you get the gift of free bitcoin back. CEO of Lolli, Alex Adelman, joins Cheddar News.
Iwao Fusillo, Chief Data & Analytics Officer, GM, joins Cheddar News to dispel myths and cut straight to the facts about GM's role in an all-electric future.
Over the Thanksgiving holiday, Elon Musk warned SpaceX employees in a leaked email that the company could be forced to file Chapter 11 bankruptcy if its raptor engine program fails. Musk then commented on the previous statement adding the detail that a recession could make such a bankruptcy possible.
Goldman Sachs is rolling out an Amazon Web Service for trading firms called GS Financial Cloud for Data with Amazon Web Services. The move comes as Wall Street looks to keep up with today's evolving tech.
Online ad-tech company Innovid made its public debut on the New York Stock Exchange. CEO and co-founders Zvika Netter joined Cheddar's "Opening Bell" to discuss factors that drove the company to launch an IPO via a SPAC deal. He noted that the rapid growth of connected TV advertising (CTV) made it an opportune time for his business to go public. While the company is profitable, Netter also explained the various avenues it will take to increase total revenue.
Reese Mozer, CEO and co-founder of American Robotics, joins Cheddar News to discuss innovations in edge computing and how drone technology can maximize its potential.
Jill and Carlo cover the latest on Omicron, another school shooting in America and more. Plus, bidding farewell to 'transitory' inflation, and the controversy surrounding 'Lovely Bones' author Alice Sebold.
