By 2055 about 50 percent of the global workforce will be replaced by artificial intelligence – and that’s not even taking into consideration the rise of AI in Africa, where it’s already causing major disruptions in certain industries. In response, countries on the continent are adopting policies to better prepare for this shift, with some of them creating infrastructure and tax incentives to attract investments and start-ups in preparation for a future when humans won’t be necessary.
As AI becomes a larger, more powerful and integral part of our society, the effect on jobs is becoming more and more clear. Let’s talk about what we know, how this will affect you in the future, and how you can prepare for AI taking over your job.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
AI is a simulation of human intelligence, thinking and inference performed by machines and software. AI has been designed to make better decisions than you, and can do your job better than you can. Many people are worried about what this means for their future and their work.
In its early days, AI was mostly used in research laboratories and was not widely known to the public. However, AI soon began to be used in practical applications such as diagnosis and control in various industries. This led to an increase in public awareness of AI, and its potential to change the world.
During the Cold War, AI was used in military applications such as missile-guidance and target recognition. This use of AI caused concern among some people, who feared that machines would eventually become smarter than humans and take over the world. However, those fears proved to be unfounded and AI continued to be used for peaceful purposes.
In recent years, AI has made great strides in becoming more efficient and effective. Due to advances in machine learning, AI is now able to perform tasks that were once thought to be impossible for machines. This has led to increased use of AI in a variety of fields, such as medicine, finance, transportation, banking and manufacturing.
AI is getting employed, you’re not
Companies have started to employ AI to carry out jobs that would usually be completed by humans. It’s a brutal prospect for workers – but it’s also an opportunity for businesses to get ahead of it and take the lead in this innovation.
In Africa, the AI revolution is already underway – driven by technology & data. It’s only a matter of time before we start seeing more and more jobs in Africa being replaced by AI. The challenge of AI coming to Africa is not “if” but “when”. As AI continues to evolve, it is likely that even more jobs in different sectors will be taken over by machines. However, this does not mean humans will become obsolete. Instead, it is likely that humans will work alongside machines in many fields.
Jobs AI will be taking over
According to a recent World Economic Forum report, robots, automation and artificial intelligence may displace 85 million jobs worldwide by 2025. If you’re worried about your job being replaced by a machine, you’re not alone. And it’s not just manual labour jobs that are at risk. Many professional occupations are also at risk of being automated in the near-future.
We’ve all heard the warnings that artificial intelligence will eventually take over many jobs currently performed by humans. And while it’s true that AI is already starting to replace some workers, there’s no need to panic just yet. Here’s a look at some of the jobs AI is already taking over, and what you can do to stay ahead of the curve.
One of the most common jobs being replaced by AI is data entry. Computers can now process information much faster than humans, so it makes sense to use them for tasks like this. If your job involves a lot of data entry, start thinking about ways you can automate or streamline the process.
Another job that’s being taken over by AI is customer service. Thanks to chatbots and other forms of artificial intelligence, businesses are able to provide 24/7 customer support without the need for human employees. If you work in customer service, start learning about how chatbots work and how you can use them to your advantage.
Some retail stores are already offering their customers self-checkout options, and new technologies will enable AI to replace cashiers. This tedious, repetitive task can be handled by an AI that could actually prove to be more efficient and trustworthy than human cashiers.
Some delivery drivers are already being replaced by drones and robots, and you can rest assured this job will become even more automated than it is now. Advances in AI technology will cause roles in retail services to be completely replaced with robots or other AI-powered machines.
Robots have already taken over a lot of factory jobs, and will surely continue to displace human factory workers into the future. This is because automated systems are likely to be much more productive than humans – much quicker at learning and adapting to new situations – and will therefore eventually replace far more workers than these workers will ever replace automated systems.
AI applications have evolved to do the work of legal and research assistants – finding patterns and uncovering trends within seconds. Cars have started making decisions on their own, avoiding collisions and other accidents – thus eliminating any need for drivers. Accounting and other financial jobs will also be impacted, as AI is able to make more accurate calculations and deductions. In addition, many jobs in the health sector will be replaced by AI in the future.
Surveys will be replaced by AI in the future to help gather data. Comprehensive market research will be necessary to understand customer needs and wants, and will be conducted by AI.
These are just a few of the jobs being replaced by AI. As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, more and more jobs will be taken over. The best way of staying ahead of the curve is to keep learning and keeping up with trends and tools which you can leverage to make your work better and more efficient.
Untouched Jobs
Companies are automating smaller, labour-intensive tasks, but robots cannot fully substitute for the human aspects which customers require.
Jobs involving building relationships with clients, customers or patients can never be replaced with automation. AI cannot understand the emotions of humans; therefore, management will not be replaced by bots. Many in these jobs may look at AI to help them reason about problems, but in the end humans are going to be the ones making decisions.
In recent years, automation has helped HR professionals do a better job; but it cannot replace them, nor remove the need for a human touch.
Artificial intelligence will make it easier for humans to transition into positions requiring greater interpersonal skills. Jobs involving higher levels of human interaction, strategic interpretation, crucial decision-making, specialised skills or domain knowledge are not going to be replaced by automation any time soon.
Any job involving creative work or creative problem-solving – musicians, artists, writers, marketers, inventors – will not be replaced by AI. These fields will experience job growth – not despite, but because of AI. Some jobs like upper levels of management, doctors and many teachers will see limited effects of AI, and the robots and systems that it powers. AI is evolving and technology is playing a larger role; but they will augment and enhance most jobs, not replace them.
Artificial intelligence is already being used to manage various repetitive tasks, and will surely be used to replace some human workers in the future. What’s clear is that although AI will supplant many jobs, it will also create many others within newer industries; and some jobs will be performed jointly by both robots and humans. It is true that AI will threaten some unskilled jobs via automation, but it will also potentially create new types of jobs requiring new skillsets which will be developed via training.
AI Impact on Economy, Labour & Earnings
As AI displaces jobs, the income gap between skilled workers whose work cannot be automated and everyone else’s will widen. Unskilled jobs without human input will be replaced by automation when the economy is favourable.
Those who lose their jobs will be largely excluded from the remaining high-paying and high-skilled jobs. Many of them will handle tasks such as caring for and improving the same machines and programmes that have replaced humans. There will be a service labour market for non-routine tasks that can be done by just about anyone; these won’t pay a living wage, but will create some new opportunities for complex, non-routine jobs.
Given the way AI is portrayed in the media, it’s clear the advent of this technology has raised concerns that AI could someday make humans obsolete in the workforce. As machine learning undergoes evolution and improvement, AI will become smarter than organic diversity – and this will have a massive impact as they take over the planet.
Some experts predict that AI will improve people, not replace them; and in the process, there will be huge economic growth. Instead of making human labour obsolete, this article predicts that AI will continue to drive massive innovation that will power many existing industries, and may have the potential to create many new growth sectors… eventually leading to more job-creation.
So, how will you make a living in the future? If you’re reading this, chances are you’ll do so by working alongside artificial intelligence.
Preparing
We’re on the brink of a major shift in the workforce. As AI technology continues to develop, even more jobs will be replaced by machines. This could have a major impact on the economy and society as a whole.
So, how can you prepare for this shift? First, you need to understand which jobs are most at risk of being automated. Then you need to retrain or relearn, if you’re likely to be displaced by AI.
Retailers who adopt AI technology will be able to automate much of the checkout process. This will free-up employees to do other tasks, such as customer service or stocking shelves. This will also reduce the number of cashiers needed, as AI can handle transactions without error.
Couriers will need to learn about using drones and automated systems to deliver packages. Marketing managers will be able to use AI to predict customer behaviour and preferences.
An HR professional will need to be familiar with automated systems in order to manage the transition successfully. They will also need to be able to manage new situations as they arise. For example, if a new type of AI is introduced into the workplace, the HR professional will need to be able to train employees on how to use it.
It’s important that you take up a course in coding (programming) or data science – to effectively apply AI concepts in your area of work. Ultimately, we need to embrace this change and adapt to it.
Uncertain future with certain outcomes
The future is uncertain, but what is certain is that our jobs are changing. Rapidly advancing technologies are automating many tasks that used to be done by human beings. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) is starting to perform many tasks that only humans could perform in the past. This trend is going to continue as AI gets better and better at performing more complex tasks.
So, what does this mean for our future?
For one thing, we need to start preparing for a future in which many of our current jobs will no longer exist. We need to retrain ourselves for new types of jobs that will be in demand. And we need to start thinking about how we can use AI to help us do our jobs better.
AI is coming for our jobs.
But if we embrace it, we can use it to create a bright future for all of us. What will happen when AI replaces human intelligence, skills and output? What will you do when AI comes for your job?
About the author
The author manages product teams in social recommendations and AI-enabled conversational engagement. He previously co-founded a value remittance start-up that was featured by the BBC.
