Artificial Intelligence, Automation, And The Future Of Work

If science fiction has taught us anything, it’s that there will be plenty of jobs in the future.

In George Orwell’s “1984,” the protagonist worked in the Records Department in the Ministry of Truth, rewriting history. The leading lady in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” worked in a human embryo hatchery. James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard were captains of military vessels. Luke Skywalker was a moisture farmer.

There will be plenty of jobs for human beings in the future, but all of them will use machine learning, artificial intelligence, and AI to some degree. Humans will work alongside software applications and robots more closely than ever before, forming a symbiotic relationship where the line between man and machine gets blurry.

Is Your Job In Jeopardy?

The brave new world of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and automation can seem like the Land of Make-Believe. Chatbots can handle customers with ease, while a well-tweaked software system can replace an entire middle-management team.

No matter what industry you work in, an automated assistant can help you do it faster and more efficiently. With robotic helpers and “invisible” coworkers, science fiction has become our new reality.

The unsettling fact is this: No matter what your job is, a robot will be able to do it just as well as you — if not better — sometime within the next 10 to 20 years.

Technology like AI and automation is leveling the playing field once again, allowing small businesses to compete on equal footing with much larger, better-funded, corporations.

Your Job Is Secure

Fear not! Technological advances like AI and automation don’t have to always be scary. Technological advances almost always breed an equal number of new jobs and career opportunities.

Certainly, a few horse-drawn carriage sellers were put out of business by the introduction of the automobile. But the automobile also created plenty of jobs for mechanics, salesman, and car wash attendants.

A recent study from MIT endorses this idea, suggesting that AI and machine learning will lead to an innovation explosion that will create new jobs in many different business sectors.

The report also concludes that fear of mass unemployment due to automation and robotics is unfounded — technology will create more jobs than it takes away, though business and government need to work together to smooth this transition for employees.

Tomorrow’s Tools Today

Predicting the technology of tomorrow is tricky, but based on what’s already available and where consumer and business needs lie, you can make some educated guesses.

Physicist Dr. Michio Kaku sees computing and cloud technology becoming ubiquitous, like electricity, allowing the Internet of Things to grow and develop in unique ways.

Futurist and inventor Ray Kurzweil forecasted a direct interface between human and machine by 2029, and it seems we are on pace to meet that prediction. Workers armed with AI can become “walking encyclopedias,” capable of tasks never seen before.

Voice Assistants and Data Analytics

As the mesh of man and machine sounds becomes increasingly prevalent, some may feel like they're losing humanity. But technology has always served to assist humanity, not draw away from it.

Voice assistants may sound like a way to free us from doing menial tasks, but in reality, they're just another tool for humans. They can be helpful with simple requests such as "Siri print my documents" or answer general questions about the world around them - but there are still going to be tasks requiring hands, for example, if you need to reset your printer or solve other technical problems.

Ultimately, voice-activated, robotic “personal assistants” will become the norm, handling chores from housekeeping to printer maintenance.

Data-analytics will drive more future business decisions, which is probably for the best — no more hotheaded or meatheaded CEOs making impulsive decisions! According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the job market for data analytics is projected to grow 22% between today and 2030.

Each year for the next decade, 96,000 market research analysts will need to be hired. Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation are the future, but not without proper data analysis shaping workflow behind the scenes.

Enter The Chatbots

Chatbots have come a long way from the automated voicemail receptions of yesteryear. Chatbots are an essential part of modern business marketing, covering an ever-expanding roster of business chores, from HR duties to generating and organizing business leads.

Chatbots can also help automate your content strategy, guide customer conversations, and convert text to speech with ease.

The best customer service experiences connect humans with other humans. The best chatbots and AI can make that connection quicker and more efficient … also more meaningful.

Part of the future work equation must factor in how to build and maintain customer trust in the digital age. It may seem counterintuitive, but a good chatbot can add a much-needed “human touch” to customer interactions.

Chatbots are also accessible for everyone, you don’t need a tech background to create your own. For exemple, Ideta chatbot builder enables you to build a chatbot with no-code and add artificial intelligence too.

Keeping Pace With Technology

The problem we face today is that technology is advancing at an ever-increasing rate. It’s like a rocket that takes off on a slow gradual arc and is eventually pointing its nose up toward the stratosphere. It feels like we’re racing blindly toward something with ever-increasing speed.

In the days of the Industrial Revolution, for example, new jobs were created at an equal or slower pace than technological advancements. People slowly transitioned from farm work to factory work as technology advanced over the course of decades.

Today’s technology seems to change overnight, with new jobs and career opportunities springing up at an equal pace. Whoever heard of a web developer or UI expert 30 years ago? Now there aren’t enough of these coveted online business specialists to go around.

While technology can be difficult to keep pace with, it comes with blessings as well. An extreme example of this is when the Covid pandemic of 2020 resulted in entire companies and educational institutions no longer being able to attend offices and lessons. The solution? Companies very quickly had to adopt a webinar platform like Zoom to communicate with each other beyond emails, teachers and students could engage effectively thanks to online collaboration tools.

AI On Our Side

No matter what your job, you’re going to have to work beside a robot in the not-so-distant future. Robots have become affordable for small businesses and consumers. Entrepreneurs can order custom-made robots and have an assembly line up and running within a reasonable budget and timeframe.

This opens up a world of new opportunities for business investors. And new business breeds more new business. As office buildings and factories fill with workers, restaurants, dry cleaners, and other businesses pop up to support that thriving workplace culture.

But if robots do everything in the future, what will people do?

Talk to each other. Think for themselves. Maybe even go back to reading books.

Now that’s scary.