We are in an era where science fiction have become realities. Most of the predictions about different technological breakthroughs are staring us in the face.
Typical examples include self-driving cars from tech giants and chatbots which are changing the customer support department.
People keep relying on the latest smartphones, IoT, and smart devices. In fact, the rate of their adoption has increased significantly in the last decade.
How AI is currently influencing jobs
Machines are playing a significant role in different sectors of the economy by cutting costs and boosting productivity. They can also defeat humans at games like chess and video games.
Some companies prefer to use automation to perform repetitive tasks. In fact, plans have been put in place to automate many jobs in several developed countries.
Robots are being deployed in airports, hotels, and health care facilities as they don’t get tired or make mistakes. Professionals in different fields also use AI to improve their performance.
Entrepreneurs are not left out of this trend. This has reduced the number of extra hands they need to run their businesses.
The major downside of embracing AI automation fully is the high development, procurement and maintenance costs. This is preventing many small businesses and underdeveloped countries from joining the bandwagon.
What does the future outlook of jobs look like?
There have been various debates since AI, robotics, and ML were still in their early stages of development. The disruption brought about by AI can be a threat especially in low-income countries. We can’t overlook this possibility because of the serious consequences that are surrounding it.
People had mixed reactions when Stephen Hawkings predicted that machines will lead to the extinction of the human race. Most of us were still trying to wrap our heads around his words when Elon Musk announced that machines are set to take over jobs. Without mincing words, it’s astonishing and unsettling at the same time.
Unemployment is a major issue in third world countries. The recent population explosion isn’t helping matters. Despite the fact that the policymakers in such countries have a renewed interest in AI, workers are skeptical about adopting new tech.
However, care must be taken to avoid ending up like the infamous well digger who lost his job because no one needed his services anymore. Some jobs are at a high risk of disappearing as time goes on than others.
The jobs of the future belong to those who are constantly evolving in their respective fields. Besides, some jobs will always be in demand. For instance, you still need to hire a coder to work on AI. These individuals often find ways to innovate and maximize their creativity. The truth is that new jobs will emerge as more jobs become automated.
The creative industry is booming and the demand for digital skills is increasing than ever before. No one had an inkling that web development and social media management would become full-fledged career two decades ago.
Another thing is that legal, socio-political and economic factors will make it difficult for some jobs to stop existing. We still have a long way to go before programmers start coding empathy and critical thinking into robots. It goes without saying that the chances of achieving such feat are really slim.
