Technological development has always come with a threat of displacing unskilled or limited skilled workers. It started back when the industrial revolution took place and threatened the jobs of writers who were used to pen and paper to unskilled labor in factories that did all the work from manufacturing to assembly of products by hand.
So, was this technological advancement bad? Not particularly, while it is true that many jobs were displaced and threatened but it also opened a door of new opportunities to the working class. Handwriting quickly got replaced by type writing, workers learned to operate various machines, this making work done at a higher efficient rate while lowering the amount of physical exhaustion.
Just like the industrial revolution we are currently undergoing the automation revolution, where most processes are moving towards being operated with Artificial Intelligence (AI) while eliminating the need for a larger workforce.
Is this an immediate threat to jobs? No, currently AI is in its infancy, and will take at least a decade to start functioning at a rate we fear at this moment. As of now AI is majorly only being used in the form of chatbots, automatic call redirections and as a simulator for predictive analytics.
While we are headed towards sentient AI like shown in many science fiction movies and tv shows, this does not mean it is the end of human jobs. How? To better understand this, let us ask ourselves a few questions:
- Would you be comfortable talking to a monotonous robotic voice when you are trying to reach customer care?
- Is everything black and white in the world or there is always some sentimental/emotional reason behind how things function?
- Would you rather listen to an AI motivational speaker with no stories of experience to connect with or a living breathing human who has gone through situations similar to ours?
Jobs like writing, customer service, marketing, sales, etc. will not be replaced anytime soon. In fact, jobs like designing and architecture that seem to be at a maximum threat level will not have to worry as upskilling with automation will reduce the manual work required. Designs made or suggested by the AI based on the specific inputs provided can further be improvised by adding a ‘human touch’ to them.
So, will AI ever completely replace human jobs? Maybe not, while the more technical and rational aspects of jobs can be taken over by AI, the majority of the jobs that connect humans to other humans will not be replaced by automation.
The best way to be ready for the future is by upskilling regularly as new trends and technology emerge. This will make you as an individual a highly sort after candidate and the risk of being displaced whether by AI or by recession reduces to almost negligible amounts.