The robots are coming — should you panic?
By: Lasse Grosby Hallqvist — Copywriter @ Charlie Tango
We live in a time, where not only do robots know how to build cars –they can also drive them!
But they are not exactly sticking to the roads. Robots have snuck into our workplace as well, where they handle things such as customer service or legal advice.
According to a recent report from McKinsey, 40% of today’s working hours in Denmark could be automated — or given to robots, if you will.
I’ve sat down with Tim Frank Andersen, Chief Digital Officer at Charlie Tango to ask him a very important question:
Tim, tell me right now: should we panic?
No — stop panicking!
Why?
Because robots are not a problem. They are a solution.
You see, I’m a robot optimist. I believe, that robots will lead to increased productivity and — reassuringly — more satisfying jobs for humans.
Sure, some jobs or tasks will disappear in the near future, but it will be the most monotonous and boring ones. That leaves us with more time to do more meaningful work.
That sounds great. Can you give an example?
Yes, I can give you several, actually.
Today, doctors, nurses and other care assistants spend a lot of their time on administrative tasks instead of caring for their patients. With the help of AI and automation they’ll have more time face-to-face instead of face-to-screen.
Also, a huge digitalization and automation has already happened in the financial sector. This means that the employees make fewer mistakes and spend less time crunching the same numbers over and over again.
So, some of us keep our jobs, with added meaning and less monotony. But won’t many still end up unemployed?
No, they’ll end up with other kinds of jobs. And even though most will probably have to upskill and be ready for a future, where adaptation is key, most jobs will become more exciting.
The way I see it, we’re going to see a rise in the type of jobs where we humans outmatch robots.
What kind of jobs could that be?
I think we’ll see more people in service-related jobs that call for care, empathy and social skills or jobs where we can use our creativity.
Also, we’ll see jobs that didn’t exist a few years ago. Right now, companies such as Google are looking for Avatar Designers, Cybernetic Directors and Interventionists — who knows what such jobs involve.
Okay, so maybe robots aren’t so scary after all. But how do you get started with robotics?
First and foremost, your company must make sure it has the needed knowledge and competences at your disposal. Either internal or through a partner.
Secondly, management needs to have a shared understanding and conceptual framework to work from.
And then you need to create a space for experimenting.
What do you mean by that?
In my eyes, robotics isn’t that different from other emerging technologies such as Blockchain, IoT and AR. It’s important to launch different pilot projects instead of concentrating on one project. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, in other words.
It’s also crucial that you assess the quality of your projects along the way and shut those down that aren’t viable before they become too cost-intensive. Thereby you free up resources for the next project or Proof of Concept.
Thanks Tim! You’ve convinced me not to panic. So, can you recommend someone to talk to, if a company wants to look into the possibilities of Robotics?
Yes — me, of course.
