Will Automation Take Over if the Minimum Wage Goes Up in Texas?

Government Technology: Aversion among some state lawmakers to government intervention in the private economy has been an obstacle to raising the decade-old minimum wage in Texas. But another issue — fear of robots — now might be a close second.

Several members of a House committee voiced concerns Monday about greater reliance on automation and artificial intelligence by Texas businesses, and the potential for job cuts that could result, if the state's mandated minimum wage of $7.25 an hour is raised for the first time since 2009. The federal minimum wage has also remained at that level since 2009.

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