The future is up for grabs. Nothing is pre-determined. We are all ships navigating through oceans of technological innovations, corporate monopolies, charismatic leaders and reverse dominance coalitions. Automation could be designed in a way to raise workers’ marginal productivity and boost their pay. Recognising that there are many potential outcomes, let me share three major risks:

1) Automation could displace labour in developing countries and slow urbanisation

2) Feeling threatened, societies may ramp up cultural tightening and norm policing

3) Authoritarians may use digital technologies to repress feminist activism