How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Workforce
AI will take over jobs that are more repetitive and less creative. This means that jobs that require creativity, social skills and emotional intelligence will be safe from AI takeover. The future of AI is still unclear but it is clear that the technology will have a major impact on our work and lives in the future. AI Will Steal Your Job! Get Ready!
There are many different opinions on the subject. Some people believe that AI and robots will take over our jobs and we should be prepared for it. Others believe that it is not a big deal and we should not worry about it. Although some professions are more at risk than others, no one can say for sure what will happen in the future with AI and employment rates. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, software engineers saw a 33.5% increase between 2010 and 2016.
The Future of Work with Artificial Intelligence at its Core
AI is a broad term that encompasses many technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing and computer vision. AI can be used to automate many tasks in the workplace. It can be used for data analytics and pattern recognition to improve workflow efficiency and customer service. It can also be used for data entry and transcription or for predictive analysis to anticipate future needs or trends and… to write this article up to this point (including the title)!
Has been used one of the many web apps that automatically write articles, the free version of rytr.me
This contradicts the AI itself, which writes at the beginning that creative works are “safe.” As you may have read, the text is not very complex or written in an original way but it is still enough to write down some simple concepts, ideal for the fast (and superficial) communication of today. A lot of the news/posts/social media text you read every day is already written by AI, as are many musical compositions, artistic images, and even logos for companies.
But AI is right when it writes at the moment among experts that there’s no single opinion whether AI and robots will steal jobs or replace them as has always happened in the past. There’s a minority of economists who think that this time it will be different because the jobs that will disappear will be so many that we will not be able to replace them also because, realistically speaking, not everyone can become a software engineer or get a degree in high profile subjects especially among the poorer sections of the population or those living in disadvantaged areas. In fact, it will be the manual and less-skilled jobs that will be totally taken over by AI leaving most of the jobs available now for those without a degree or similar skills uncovered.
Some examples of works that will be replaced from 2022 to half of this century?
Warehouseman, taxi driver, truck — bus — train — metro driver, plane pilot, postman, construction worker, assembly line assembler, cleaner, cashier, call centre operator, agriculture and many more. In the medium term AI will also take hold in the field of healthcare and the restaurant industry.
Anyway according to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2020 in the short term between now and 2025 there will still be a positive difference between jobs that will be lost and new jobs. 85 million jobs may be displaced by the shift in labor between humans and machines while 97 million new roles may emerge. But this report makes it even clearer that the majority of low-skilled jobs will be replaced.
Increasing demand
Data analysts and scientists
AI and machine-learning specialists
Big data specialists
Digital-marketing and strategy specialists
Process automation specialists
Business development professionals
Digital transformation specialists
Information security analysts
Software and applications developers
Internet of things (IoT) specialists
Project managers
Business services and administration managers
Database and network professionals
Robotics engineers
Strategic advisers
Management and organization analysts
Fintech engineers
Mechanics and machinery repairers
Organizational development specialists
Risk management specialists
Decreasing demand
Data entry clerks
Administrative and executive secretaries
Accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll clerks
Accountants and auditors
Assembly and factory workers
Business services and administration managers
Client information and customer service workers
General and operations managers
Mechanics and machinery repairers
Material-recording and stockkeeping clerks
Financial analysts
Postal service clerks
Sales rep: wholesale and manufacturing, technical, and scientific products
Relationship managers
Bank tellers and related clerks
Door-to-door sales, news, and street vendors
Electronics and telecoms installers and repairers
Human resources specialists
Training and development specialists
Construction laborers
Source: Future of Jobs Report 2020, World Economic Forum
So, for those who can choose, what are the safest jobs for the future in which AI will not, at least for now, compete with us? Here a not exhaustive list, according to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2020:
Cloud Computing: Site reliability engineer, Platform engineer, Cloud engineer, DevOps engineer, Cloud consultant, DevOps manager.
Engineering: Python developer, Full stack engineer, Javascript developer, Back-end developer, Front-end engineer, .NET software developer, Development specialist.
Data and AI: Artificial intelligence specialist, Data scientist, Data engineer, Big data developer, Business intelligence developer.
Product Development: Product owner, Quality assurance tester, Agile coach, Software quality assurance engineer, Product analyst.
Marketing: Growth hacker, Growth manager, Digital marketing specialist, Digital specialist, E-commerce specialist.
Content Production: Social media assistant, Social media coordinator, Content specialis.
Sales: Customer success specialist, Sales development representative, Commercial sales representative, Business development representative.
Certainly one of the many emergencies that humanity will have to face soon is how to structure the economy to cope with this epochal change in which technology will leave billions of people without a job. At the moment no one has found a solution, do we ask artificial intelligence for advice?
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