Point-Counterpoint Panel: Opinions on Bill Gates’ Proposal for a Robot Tax
Featured Moderator: Anupam Govil, Partner
When: December 5, 1:35pm-2:15pm
Whether the idea ever sees the light of day in any legislature or not, the concept and all of its potential ripple effects deserve debate. In this point-counterpoint panel, the participants will consider all angles on Bill Gates’ assertion in a February 2017 interview that “Certainly there will be taxes that relate to automation. Right now, the human worker who does, say, $50,000 worth of work in a factory, that income is taxed […] If a robot comes in to do the same things, you’d think that we’d tax the tobot at a simialr level.” This track will explore:
- Point: This idea is lunacy.
- Counterpoint: This idea is at least the beginning of a good idea.
- Discussion: What makes sense and why? The effects of productivity improvements on GDP and tax revenues. How would taxation be a disincentive for more innovation? Why would the guy who first envisioned a computer on every desk advocate for slowing down automation? Is there a dark undercurrent of “New automation and AI companies hurt the value of my Microsoft stock so I’m going to throw a red herring into the mix”?
Training/Workshop A: Automation & RPA 101
Subject Matter Expert: Ashwin Waghela, Director
When: December 6, 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Agenda
8:30AM – 9:00AM Registration & Networking
9:00AM – 9:15AM Introductions
9:15AM – 9:40AM Who are the producers and consumers in an organization? How do these roles change over time?
9:40AM – 10:00AM
– What are the costs of implementation and sustaining the model?
– Where can we realize that savings and how much?
10:25AM – 10:45am Group Presentations
10:45AM – 11:05AM Networking Break
11:05AM – 11:30AM Topic TBD
11:30AM – 11:50AM Group Presentations
11:50AM – 12:00PM Closing Remarks
