Robots, Artificial Intelligence and Self-Driving Cars are changing the world (but for the better?) For some people, it will mean losing their jobs. Who is in the list?
- Taxi Drivers: Uber alone won’t kill the taxi market (as after all, Uber drivers are still taxi drivers) – it’s self-driving cars that will kill this market. Taxi drivers in the developed countries will soon see their customers switch to automated cabs – a bit like the ‘Johnny Cab‘ in the original Arnie-version of Total Recall.
- Courier Drivers: for the same reason, courier drivers will become a thing of the past, when these services will become fully automated by the same technology as self-driving cars. Not just that: courier services are also under immediate threat from air bound courier services offered by drone-delivery.
- Fast-Food Cooks: for people who like their food fast and served according to a precise specification, their paper-wrapped meals will soon be cooked up by robots. They can work all day without a break, won’t spit in the food, and produce results within a micrometer of their specifications.
- Bartenders: much like automated fast-food chefs flipping burgers, robotic bartenders will mix you up a mojito whilst pulling a pint of craft beer without expecting a tip. The jolly bartender in the apron will become consigned to the history books.
- Baristas: even our favorite coffee will be served by a machine, who will happily brew us our tenth triple-shot americano of the day without complaint, or a smile. Coffee will never taste so predictable.
- Till Clerks: have seen it already in the supermarkets – self-service is reducing and removing the need for till clerks. This shift towards self-service will be observed in a growing number of retail outlets as the technology develops.
- Receptionists: your friendly receptionist at the check-in desk of your hotel or place of work will be out of a job. You might have already used automated check-in/check-out services in a hotel. Concierge services, powered by AI, will soon be replaced too
- Switchboard Operators: voice-recognition and AI is changing the face (or voice) of switchboards. We won’t need operators to direct our calls – within ten years this will be entirely automated.
- Typists: for the same reason as above, typists will become a thing of the past. Not just because voice recognition is getting better, but also because Artificial Intelligence will shape and elaborate our written communications.
- Fabricators: 3d printing is changing manufacturing, and soon entire complex machines and components will be produced without human intervention or the need for complex industrial processes.
- Call Centre Agents: voice recognition and AI is enabling customer services to be provided without talking to a human being, as well as the shift towards self-service and AI-driven web-chat, drastically reducing the demand for a human-based call centre workforce.
- Mortgage Advisors: AI and knowledge management has enabled ‘robo-advice’ on a grand-scale. Soon we will be taking advice from a computer on what the right mortgage product is for us.
- Financial Advisors: for the same reason as above, the future for Financial Advisors are doomed. They will not be able to compete with their silicon-based competitors – not just on speed, but the cost of making a mistake (to err is human) will be too great.
- Ticket Inspectors: because paper tickets will be found only in museums. The proliferation of barcodes (like QR codes), 3d smartphones and smart-watches has enabled a revolution in the way we hold and present tickets
- Airline pilots: we are getting used to the ideas of self-driving cars – so why not self-flying planes? Auto Pilots already fly most of the flight so the next obvious step is to fly the whole journey.
