Over the next 25 years, the way we work and the jobs we do will change more than they have over the last 2,000 years. Technology, automation and the coming world of Artificial Intelligence are already destroying jobs that have any form of repetitiveness, or low end cognitive requirements.

And if you thinks it’s just Blue Collar labour intensive jobs that will go and because you sit in an air-conditioned office you’ll be ok……you’re in for a rude awakening.

Autonomous cars and trucks are with us now, and over the next 25 years will become the norm…so no more taxi drivers. Mine Truck drivers are already sitting in Brisbane operating driverless trucks from 1,000km away.

An Australian engineer has invented and has put into practical construction use, a “robot” block layer that only requires the building plans to be loaded into its system and a supply of blocks to be delivered to site, and it will lay all the blockwork. No more block layers.

And it will have an enormous impact in the White Collar world, with work that can be systemised including accounting, and secretarial, even contract management.

When you research this topic and read commentary, there are clearly two types of people out there –

1. The Deniers – A machine will never replace a skilled tradesman.

2. The Doomsayers – When the machines take our jobs there will be no work, no income, and then the machines will take over

I think they are both living in a fantasy world. The deniers are simply sticking their heads in the sand, and they need to start looking at their jobs and the ways they can make small changes to ensure they have longevity. It’s not going to change overnight, you have time, but don’t procrastinate.

The Doomsayers just like doomsday fantasies.

All changes in technology in history are brought about by two things only –

1. War

2. Economic benefit

My opinion, is that all the changes we are seeing will be economically driven and they may not come as quickly as we think, because if all the jobs start to go then there is less personal income to move around the economy and that means less people to buy the products and services the machines are producing, which means lower profits for companies who own the machines, who will then look for ways to increase profits through employing more people so therefore producing people to buy their products…….

Simple supply and demand economics will prevail.

BUT…..there will be a level of generational pain as these changes become more rapid and there will be a portion of economy (workers) that will be burnt along the way.

Be ahead of the game.

Technology and the Impact on Future Jobs