The Role of Automation in the Future of Packaging

Automation is not a new phenomenon, and questions about its promise and effects have long accompanied its advances. More than half a century ago, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson established a national commission to examine the impact of automation on the economy and employment, declaring that automation did not have to destroy jobs but “can be the ally of our prosperity if we will just look ahead.” Many of the same questions have come up again today as a result of recent advances in technologies, including robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. Automation now has the potential to change the daily tasks of every person. This white paper will address the speed with which automation technologies will become a reality in the workplace and the impacts they are likely to have on employment and productivity in the packaging industry.