India, Feb. 8 -- Considering artificial intelligence through the ideas of Adam Smith

Nowadays, it's almost impossible to talk about economics without invoking Adam Smith. We take for granted many of his concepts, such as the division of labour and the invisible hand. Yet, at the time when he was writing, these ideas went against the grain. He was not afraid to push boundaries and question established thinking. Smith grappled with how to advance well-being and prosperity at a time of great change. The Industrial Revolution was ushering in new technologies that would revolutionise the nature of work, create winners and losers, and potentially transform society. But their impact was not yet clear. The Wealth of Nations, for example, was pub...