Thanks to E-commerce, Some Rust Belt Towns Are Booming Again—But How Long Will It Last?
Pennsylvania's Lehigh County is experiencing something of a renaissance in jobs. Amazon, which has several fulfillment centers in the area, a former steel-producing powerhouse, is now its third-largest employer. Wal-Mart's e-commerce side has a large presence as well, and FedEx is planning to open its largest U.S. facility there. In a great short documentary called "We're Living Here in Amazontown," a reporter from The Outline went to Lehigh to see how things were going. He found a region bursting with new employment opportunities, but still deeply worried about how automation might change that in the not-too-distant future.
"Quite frankly, our economy is even stronger than it was 20 years ago," Don Cunningham, CEO of the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, and former mayor of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, says in the video. But he knows that these firms' focus on using ever more robots in their operations means that the jobs boom won't last forever. People are already working alongside multitudes of machines, especially in Amazon's fulfillment centers. "Certainly, the day will come when these facilities aren't so labor-intensive," Cunningham says. "The question is: when is that day?"
Deep Dive
Uncategorized
Capitalizing on machine learning with collaborative, structured enterprise tooling teams
Machine learning advances require an evolution of processes, tooling, and operations.
The Download: how to fight pandemics, and a top scientist turned-advisor
Plus: Humane's Ai Pin has been unveiled
The race to destroy PFAS, the forever chemicals
Scientists are showing these damaging compounds can be beat.
How scientists are being squeezed to take sides in the conflict between Israel and Palestine
Tensions over the war are flaring on social media—with real-life ramifications.
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.