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How a grid on a computer screen gives us a glimpse of the future of automated work.

A grid on a computer screen took the world of accountancy by storm in the early 1980s, making many accounting tasks effortless. But should we consider this 'robot accountant' more carefully? As Tim Harford explains, the digital spreadsheet is a 40-year-old example of what automation could do to all of our jobs.

Available now

11 minutes

Last on

Mon 20 May 2019 03:50GMT

Sources

Steven Levy, 'A Spreadsheet Way of Knowledge', Harper's November 1984

Planet Money - 'Spreadsheets!'. Episode 606, February 2015

Broadcasts

  • Sat 18 May 2019 04:50GMT
  • Sat 18 May 2019 13:50GMT
  • Sun 19 May 2019 14:50GMT
  • Sun 19 May 2019 21:50GMT
  • Sun 19 May 2019 22:50GMT
  • Mon 20 May 2019 03:50GMT

Podcast