Foxconn’s ‘intelligent robotics kingdom’ to create jobs, then replace them

By Adam Rosenberg November 6, 2011

Foxconn — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Get used to the name Foxconnn, as its corporate logo will almost certainly be printed on the chests of our future machine overlords. The Taiwanese company (although one of China’s largest employers) responsible for (among other things) assembling Apple‘s various iPhones is moving ahead with plans to fill its workforce with a larger number of machine minds. Company chairman Terry Gou signed a letter of intent this week with Taichung mayor Jason Hu that lays out the company’s plan to build a production facility described as an “intelligent robotics kingdom” in the Central Taiwan Scienec Park, Focus Taiwan reports.

Gou expects to see a $4 billion dollar value from the investment as the plant comes together over the next three to five years. As many as 2,000 jobs will be created to brings this plan together, though the long-term view of such a move will ultimately end up putting people out of work. The plant will be responsible for building Foxconn’s robot army, automated employees capable of handling a variety of tasks, as part of an effort to cut down on labor costs.

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Foxconn isn’t the only company in China building robots to perform the tasks of a skilled labor workforce, but having that sweet iPhone money rolling in will likely give it an edge in getting this plant up and running quickly.

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

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