Band 6+: More and more work is being carried out by machines in all areas of our lives. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

Machines have been around for many years and will be there in the years to come. These mechanically structured devices have been useful in automating our daily tasks. While some people have become lethargic with the excessive usage of machines, there have been a lot of positives linked to it.

Initiating with the benefits of using these systems, the first and foremost key benefit is the improvement of task efficiency. We all are aware about the inaccuracies of performing any job manually. To combat such problems, machines have played a crucial role. The internal structure of such devices not only eradicates the problem of incorrect outputs, but also substantially reduces the time taken to produce those results. To cite an example, many research institutes have inculcated the use of scientific calculators to solve problems involving trigonometric calculations which has led to an increase in the count of problems solved as well as the correctness of the outputs delivered on a daily basis.

On the darker side of exorbitant usage of machines, one of the biggest demerits is the huge capital required to procure and maintain these expensive equipment. In the era of market inflation, many organisations are finding it difficult to cope up with the ever increasing cost required to maintain the workability of these highly efficient equipments. As a consequence, several companies are unable to repay the loans they have taken from various banks and financial institutions. Therefore, such businesses are finding it difficult to stay competitive in the industry. For example, Byjus, a leading player in the education industry, was out of funds to pay for subscriptions for various technological platforms it used to teach students. As a result, Byjus completely lost the competitive edge over other players it once had.

To conclude, with the ever increasing usage of machines due to the correctness in work outputs, there have been a lot of limitations including, but not limited to, the ever increasing costs to keep them in workable conditions.