How is AI changing the workforce?
Can you believe that around 45 per cent of current jobs are expected to be automated within 20 years? Although rapid progression of technology has made (and will continue to make) many jobs obsolete, it’s also creating new jobs and making others easier to manage.
How AI is being used currently
Cranes are helping us carry big loads, and driverless tractors and drones help humans with crop spraying. Factories depend on AI to perform labour-intensive tasks.
With trends consistently influencing customer expectations, the demand for data-driven insights is booming. AI is assisting in effective decision-making, now that machines have higher predictive power to make better consumer decisions thanks to their ability to automate and scale data.
Job losses as a result of AI
Research conducted by a cohort of University of Melbourne professors indicates that AI is being used to replace cognitive tasks — that is, any task that requires a person to mentally process new information, retrieve and retract information.
A 2013 report from the University of Oxford said that administrative support workers and even transportation and logistics occupations can and will be substituted by computers in the future — think telemarketers, clerks, cashiers, bus drivers and even hospitality workers.
Opportunities and new industries
Professor Tim Miller from The University of Melbourne says that there are still plenty of jobs that won’t be handed to the rise of robots. The following positions are here to stay, although they will inevitability evolve with advancements in technology:
A 2017 report by Commonwealth bank stated that ‘the future of work will be primarily about how people can collaborate effectively with machines to do what neither can do alone’. The advancements of technology offer career opportunities across all sectors.
The University of Melbourne has done extensive research on how AI will influence the world and predicts that the next generation will be the most educated yet, which will lead to accelerated growth in jobs. Josh Bersin, principal and founder of Bersin by Deloitte, said that instead of eliminating jobs, AI is eliminating tasks and is creating new jobs for humans. These jobs require traits that robots haven’t mastered: empathy, communication and problem-solving.
The University of Melbourne predicts that developments in technology has created a demand for more jobs in many fields. Find out more about the following future-proof industries:
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