Are you being “left behind” by technology? Some studies suggest that almost half of all jobs could be automated by 2030 (though others put that number closer to 10%, and some economies may be more vulnerable to this trend than others). Retail workers, drivers, and those working in the manufacturing sector are apparently most at risk, while teachers are among the safest professions.
What do our readers think? We had a comment sent in by Ana, who worries that AI and machine learning will inevitably destroy jobs. She believes that automation will trash the economy within a decade, and we will need to figure out how to redistribute wealth created by robots or face mass starvation. Is she perhaps being overly pessimistic?
To get a response, we spoke to Helen Mountfield, Co-Chair of the Future of Work Commission in the UK. In December 2017, the Commission published a report arguing that the most apocalyptic predictions of the impact of automation and artificial intelligence don’t stand up to scrutiny. The report argues that these technologies will create as many jobs as they destroy – assuming, however, we get the right policies in place.
Is your job at risk from Artificial Intelligence and automation? Will new technologies destroy the economy, or will they create as many jobs as they disrupt? Let us know your thoughts and comments in the form below and we’ll take them to policymakers and experts for their reactions!
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You talk about people being left behind but why can’t we see it as people being freed?
Would you like to be free from your salary?
07/05/2018 Eva Kaili, a Social DemocratMEP, has responded to this comment.
The truth is that this is happening to so extent and what happens is that we will come up with new jobs for humans to do. PR is a perfect example.
Certamente, e’ ovvio, dove servivano 10 persone oggi basta un robot … quindi?
It is never the means. It is how we handle the means…
We need to get machines to work and pay people not to work.
Artificial Intelligence will destroy mainly the factory jobs but, our major corporations already displaced the factories to Asia giving them our technology. They simply ignore patents rights. Today there are mobile phones made in China which are simple copies of our technology. Many not very skilled jobs will disappear. And Europe is welcoming more and more unskilled migrants who will finish living on welfare. The welfare systems will get bankrupt. Big corporations do not pay taxes because they all have head offices in tax evasion paradises. The politicians will not fight that because they all get in the end jobs as “board directors” as a prize of a political career. The so called unconditional basic income won’t solve any problem because the welfare systems will get bankrupt. So, I guess, the future won’t be very bright.
As much as 500 million jobs will be lost by 2040
Evidence?
Factory jobs are being lost at an alarming rate as a result of outsourcing and bots taking over manual labor. Educational upskilling will become part of the cycle of life only highlighting the rising disparity between the haves and have nots.
Not in the UK or Germany but the other nations in the EU are in for a large increase in unemployment, mainly due to political incompetence & not increased use of AI.
I wonder to whom they are going to sell their goods when most people get unemployed: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-36376966
НАЙ-ДОБРЕ ЩЕ БЪДЕ ЧОВЕКА И ТЕХНОЛОГИЯТА ДА РАБОТЯТ ЗАЕДНО, ЗАЩОТО ТОГАВА ЩЕ ИМА НАЙ-ГОЛЯМА ИКОНОМИКА… ТЕХНОЛОГИЯТА ЩЕ НАПРАВИ МНОГО ПОВЕЧЕ РАБОТНИ МЕСТА ЗА ЧОВЕКА…
Armide Nauzet Suarez Ramirez
“Retail workers, drivers, and those working in the manufacturing sector are apparently most at risk, while teachers are among the safest professions”
From real life experience I would disagree, anyone who uses self service checkouts knows the limitations of the technology when everything stops and you need human intervention to buy age restricted products and the fantasy of delivery drones will never replace the capacity of white van man to deliver stuff to your door or lorries delivering to supermarkets. Manufacturing is the leading edge of automation and is probably nearly at its peak but even the top of the range CNC machines still have a human minder
..and as for teachers and education, I think you will find the world of “web based training” is currently one of the fastest expanding
We need to think about letters, music.. There’s nothing like the human being! First, what we need, is to turn humans more human (valorise values!!!). Then, we could use robots to HELP!
EU is at risk from any kind of intelligence….
Don’t let the knowhow from Ásia, is the principal problem.
The greatest thing about the human race is it’s infinite capacity for change so no artificial intelligence is not a threat, it is an opportunity.
Nope actully is becaming much better