Are you a fan of those science fiction flicks where robots begin to rule the world? Do you ever watch those movies and shake your head at how ridiculous they are? Well, turn to 2020 and beyond, and those movies are not as crazy and outlandish as you might think. Now, the hope is that robots and AI don’t eventually begin to wipe out humanity, but rather that they will only help it. Robotics is a technology that is rapidly growing, and it’s something that’s going to change our jobs in the future (and in the present for some).
The numbers are staggering
Without providing any specific statistics, let’s just say that the predicted numbers for how many jobs are at risk from robots are startling. Over the next decade, experts and analysts around the world are predicting that robots could make even more of an impact. But why are so many industries beginning to rely on robots to perform tasks that humans can do? It really comes down to what they are brilliant at. You see, because robots can be programmed by humans, they can be programmed to perform redundant tasks to perfection. This is where several million jobs are being lost, as robots are simply more efficient at them.
However, further advancements will need to be made in the robotics industry for them to sufficiently tackle harder jobs. And, by “harder,” we simply mean more complex jobs that require human intelligence. Dynamic jobs, or jobs that require constant change in other words, are not the best for robots, as further and advanced programming is required.
So, what industries are affected?
This is probably what you’re itching to know, as you may be afraid your job will eventually be taken over by robots. Well, industries such as automotive, healthcare, and food, just to name a few, are already affected by the influence of robotic technology. In the food industry, think of tasks such as making and serving coffee. Stuff like that can be done the same way every single time, and that’s the type of environment where robots thrive. Even just AI, which includes stuff like chatbots, can take away from human jobs in the customer service department.
Is this a good or bad thing?
Clearly, this must be good for somebody, as robots keep getting smarter and smarter. Well, there’s a reason why more and more industries are beginning to implement this type of technology. For starters, though the technology itself requires investments, businesses will save the money that they would need to pay their employees. Secondly, for repetitive tasks, barring computerized malfunctions, business owners will not need to worry as much about mistakes.
However, there are some significant drawbacks to the implementation of robots. The obvious one is a loss of jobs for everyone around the world. This is the big one, as more and more jobs are being taken over by robots. Unfortunately, businesses need to make decisions that benefit them. Again, there are certain jobs and professions that robots will probably never touch. But, over the next several years, many simple jobs will probably no longer be available.
It really is kind of scary to think about, isn’t it? What’s even scarier to think about is the fact that it is humans who are creating the robots and minimizing job opportunities in the first place. It’s almost like a cycle that we humans are creating. As they say, it’s just the way of the times, and we as humans have to learn to adapt to it. Heck, even cars are starting to drive themselves. Crazy.
