Authored by Phil Cohen
You see stories about the incredible innovations taking place in robotics and technology every day. There are robots that can bake cookies, robots that can drive cars, and by 2035, there may be robots that can do your job. So, where does this all lead?
Are Robots Replacing Humans in the Workplace?
The field of workplace automation is developing so quickly that the head engineers at Google say that by 2029, robotic artificial intelligence will be on par with our own.
Researchers at Oxford University and Deloitte have affirmed Google’s predictions with a recent study. The research project calculated the likelihood of 365 different occupations substituting human workers with robotic counterparts, ranging from positions like cashiers and mechanics to surgeons and teachers. While we are by no means headed for a robot takeover, it seems than many people’s fear of robots replacing humans in the workplace is quite valid, after all.
So what kind of jobs have the greatest risk of turning to automation? According to a BBC analysis of the research results, occupations that do not require a great deal of social intelligence are the most likely to adopt robotic workers in the next couple of decades, while those that require empathy and on-your-feet creativity are safe for a long while.
The Top Ten Jobs Most At Risk for Future Automation
- Telephone Salesperson
- Typist
- Legal Secretary
- Financial Accounts Manager
- Routine Inspector and Tester
- Weigher, Grader/Sorter
- Sales Administrator
- Payroll Manager
- Finance Officer
- Pensions and Insurance Clerk
On the other end, the jobs that are the least prone to future robotics include hotel managers, psychologists, speech and language therapists, educators, nurses, and office managers.
Though the thought of robots taking over a large number of jobs does feel like it will usher in some sort of scary, dystopian future akin to that of the Terminator movies, it really shouldn’t be all that frightening. While many positions will be exclusively done by automated machines, there will always be a demand for human workers when it comes to positions that demand emotional awareness and intelligence. And, of course, as more robots are sought after, more technicians and engineers will be needed. So, it turns out that rather than being job-Terminators, these future work-bots will be job-Transformers. Though they will cause it to shift, the workplace will find a way to remain balanced.
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