Is Your Current JOB Replaceable by a ROBOT in the Next 5 Years?
- Moving Towards a ‘Workerless’ World
The Transformation is already Underway
It’s a vital question. Take a moment and think over it!!! As per a report by the University of Oxford, 47% of Jobs in US, 35% in UK and a whopping 77% in China are estimated to get automated. A quest arises, are we moving towards a ‘workerless’ world? The World is headed towards a more precision and error free operations whilst slipping into chaos day by day. Making sense of the world we live in is a tough task but the most we can do is safeguard our futures individually. We are seeing a rise in Self-Employment, Free Lancers and Entrepreneurship over the last decade. But how competent and sustainable will it be when the world gets even more fierce in terms of competition? A Small piece of pie will be chased by many. We need to brace ourselves for this coming time.
People in their 20s and 30s will be the most affected because of Automation. It is set to have a cascading effect on multiple industries and support functions displacing millions from jobs. Though Computers and Robots will make work processes more accurate and easy they will need highly skilled workforce to manage them. Constant skill upgradation embracing new systems and technologies will be needed by the future workforce. The element of ‘Human’ factor will slowly minimize making humans go crazy over machines and technology. It’s an uncertain world we are headed for which will have no place for low-skilled and semi-skilled workforce which make up a substantial chunk of the economy. Many say that Computers will enhance the existing work operations thereby assisting or complimenting the human ‘Brain’ and thought processes and therefore Automation should not be painted with a grey picture.
Low Skilled and Semi Skilled Workforce makes up a larger chunk of the Economy
But have we thought of the millions of low-skilled and semi-skilled workforces which anyway will get displaced and the effect on the subsequent families associated with them. China, the world’s manufacturing hub is headed towards rising joblessness index as automation is slowly setting in. Foxconn, the manufacturer of iPhones recently replaced 60000 of its workforce with Automation Robots. Just as the world saw a gradual phase out of Tellers at Banks because of ATM’s, aggregations and app based functions will bring disruptions in industries. How do we govern and regulate all this? We are soon approaching a stage where development is crossing that threshold of sustainable development to destructive automation which has no place for Human Emotions and Human Factor. We who have created it are becoming victims of our own creation.
We cannot stop automation from invading our daily lives but we surely must take steps to make the current and next generation adaptable to the new world. Millennials who are currently working in the Telemarketing, Insurance, Banking, Manufacturing, Transportation, Retail and Construction profiles need to start preparing themselves actively for the automated world which will soon knock on their doors. The question will surely arise as to what exactly can be done when the future seems so grim? In the words of Google Chairman Eric Schmidt, the future world will be more of individualistic profiles competing against each other. Physical presence will matter no more but a virtual presence and virtual image on the 15-inch mobile device we carry will bear immense importance.
Virtual Image and Virtual Presence will be all that will matter in the future
At Asterizk, we interact on a regular basis with Technology, Government and Industry Leaders through our think tank sessions which has really enabled us to bridge that gap and create programs and services customised to help working professionals brace for the Automated world. Interacting with individuals, youngsters, free lancers, self-employed professionals, college graduates to Senior Management officials has really made us realise and wonder over the power of human potential. There will be a need for human touch and human interference even in the automated world. We just need to strike the right balance to make sense of the world of automation.
Together We Can Make a Difference
At Asterizk, we are taking steps to amalgamate the smallest factor of working force with the automated world to make Automation more meaningful for all the sections of the society. We are taking steps to make every low skilled and semi-skilled individual realise his value, build upon his value and make him ready for the automated world. It’s an uphill task but when we have a collective desire to make a difference and bring about a change even the impossible seems possible.
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Harshal Bhalerao - Follow the Author on Twitter and Linkedin for more updates
Co-Founder and Director
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