In these days of austerity and Brexit, job security is becoming less common, and it seems there’s one more challenge on the horizon for some people – artificial intelligence.
Robots can perform tasks faster and more efficiently than a human being, so jobs that are highly-repetitive and that don’t need specialist training might be prone to becoming the preserve of robots in the future. Here’s a list of jobs that might be at risk in the future, and those that are safe (for now, anyway!)
Jobs that might be at risk
Call centre operatives
How many times have you answered your phone to be greeted by an automated message? This is a role that will be increasingly automated in the future, simply because cold calling/direct sales doesn’t tend to convert in to cold hard cash and there are no requirements to be the best salesperson in the world in this type of role.
Bookkeepers
Bookkeeping is becoming increasingly automated. You’ve probably seen software like QuickBooks which is intuitive and tells you everything you need to know at a glance. It’s also cheaper than hiring a bookkeeper.
Receptionists
It’s predicted that automated phone systems and AI assistants (think along the lines of Siri or Alexa) will be able to assume most of the responsibilities of a receptionist in the future. In some larger companies, this is already happening.
Couriers
Companies like Amazon are already exploring delivering goods with drones so it’s only a matter of time this area becomes a lot more automated.
Computer Support Technicians
This is still a growing field, but some companies are already relying on bots to answer questions from customers and this might increase in the future. The internet and YouTube is also a mine of information that answers tech questions from the simple to those you would probably need a degree in computing for!
Retail Sales
People are much more likely to have done their research online before buying something nowadays, so they rely less and less on salespeople giving them the full rundown on products. Companies are also increasingly investing in things that make a customer’s shopping experience more convenient, like self-checkout.
Jobs that are likely to be safe
Chief Executives
Chief executives have to come up with strategy, lead, and motivate people which requires a lot of social and emotional intelligence. Robots may be efficient, but that’s something they can’t be taught yet.
Event Planners
Celebrate if you’re a party or wedding planner-your job is likely to be as safe as houses. Planning an event involves organising and coordinating lots of different things, as well as being responsive to last minute changes and dealing with people-not a job that would be easy to automate.
Writers
Any job where a person has to come up with and produce original material is pretty much safe. While AI can automate social media posts, give you suggestions for titles, and check your spelling and grammar, it lacks the finesse and creativity that could only come from a person.
Graphic Designers
Graphic design is a creative and technical role which requires the creation of original work to a client’s possibly ever-changing specification, so it’s a job that’s pretty much safe.
How do you think robots and AI will change our lives? We’ve all seen them in movies causing terror and we fear that eventually; they’ll take over our jobs and run the world. But remember, not all change is bad. Robotics is already in use in surgery, space exploration, and in countless jobs that would be too dangerous or dirty for a human to do.