Democracy in America | Technology and unemployment

Are ATMs stealing jobs?

Bank tellers have little to fear, but the trend of technological change does partly explain the jobless recovery

By W.W. | IOWA CITY

IN an interview on NBC News, Barack Obama used the example of ubiquitous automatic teller machines to illustrate how technological progress is allegedly impeding job creation:

There are some structural issues with our economy where a lot of businesses have learned to become much more efficient with a lot fewer workers. You see it when you go to a bank and you use an ATM, you don't go to a bank teller, or you go to the airport and you're using a kiosk instead of checking in at the gate.

More from Democracy in America

The fifth Democratic primary debate showed that a cull is overdue

Thinning out the field of Democrats could focus minds on the way to Iowa’s caucuses

The election for Kentucky’s governor will be a referendum on Donald Trump

Matt Bevin, the unpopular incumbent, hopes to survive a formidable challenge by aligning himself with the president


A state court blocks North Carolina’s Republican-friendly map

The gerrymandering fix could help Democrats keep the House in 2020