Bracing Ourselves for an Uncertain Future in the World of AI & Automation

HackerNoon Reporter: Please state the link of the article you are reviewing:

https://hackernoon.com/automation-ai-and-the-future-of-jobs

What is your opinion regarding this piece?

The Robots Are Coming. Let’s Welcome Them!

The level of impact AI will have on the nature of work and what organizations need to do to prepare their workforce on the impact of a digital future.

“Simply put, jobs that robots can replace are not good jobs in the first place. As humans, we climb up the rungs of drudgery — physically tasking or mind-numbing jobs — to jobs that use what got us to the top of the food chain, our brains.” — The Wall Street Journal

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Automation are digital evolution in recent times. They are going to handle “moonshot” societal challenges in different industries.

At the same time, if we consider these technologies, they are going to transform the nature of business and its work process. Machines are capable of carrying out more tasks done by human power, complementing the work that humans do, and even performing some tasks that go beyond what humans can do.

Despite these fears and concerns, every technological shift has ended up creating more jobs than were destroyed. Looking back on history, it seems reasonable to conclude that fears and concerns regarding AI and automation are understandable but ultimately unwarranted. Technological change may eliminate specific jobs, but it has always created more in the process.

So, I can say from this piece of content that, robots might steal your job, but if you have the right skills, you will get a better one. Business owners will have to understand how AI will impact their workforces, then get workers prepared with the right skills to do existing jobs.

For enterprises and countries that have the right skills, automation and AI are not a threat. Its economic boost offers a gigantic prize.

What are some of the varying perspectives on this subject that you’re aware of?

As you mentioned in the given article - the future of work will not be about college degrees; it will be about job skills.

This is what I stated in the above answer. Future is not about degrees; it’s about skills. Let me take you back in the past. When computers came into existence to help business processes, many people were skeptical that there would be severe job losses. However, it became part of everyday life, and new categories of jobs emerged. The workplace needed to reskill and adapt to a different style of working.

At the same time, automation and AI are expected to bring the same thing to your table – a revolution in the technology field. You will see some changes in the traditional way of doing business, and a new employment source will be available. Most of the analytical work which requires critical thinking cannot be replaced by machines or robots. However, human power will be required to upgrade their skill and stay relevant.

What are some of the nuances people frequently miss when discussing this subject matter?

When people bring this topic to the table, they always see one side of the coin. However, every coin has two sides. But here, they choose to emphasize the replacement of humans by machines. Robots today are continually being developed and are learning and adapting to the human environment. To some extent, there will be a significant impact of AI on employment. But, I guess, you should also remember that empathy, cognitive thinking, and emotional intelligence are traits that make humans unique and irreplaceable.

AI is definitely here to stay, whether we like it or not. Personally, I don’t think we have anything to be afraid of. The best way to move forward is to be aware of and adapt to the new technology and upgrade skills to sustain ourselves in the market.

Overall, AI and automation have a great future and will be essential tools for organizations in the future. It is unlikely that even the best of robots would replicate a human being’s warmth and understanding.

What is your favourite quote or paragraph from this article? Why?

There is a term to describe the uncomfortable thoughts about our jobs becoming automated: automation anxiety.

Honestly, I have never heard this term before – Automation Anxiety.

The fear that machines will soon replace and take workers’ jobs away from them.

Why I like this sentence is that somehow it will create a fear of losing the job. Well, I am not actually talking about losing the job, but this will push them to work harder and upgrade their skills. When people have a job to lose, they will imbibe knowledge and keep themselves updated with the required skills. They must focus on skills instead of degrees.

In addition to transforming our whole education system, we should also accept that learning doesn’t end with formal schooling. The exponential acceleration of digital transformation means that learning must be a lifelong pursuit, constantly re-skilling to meet an ever-changing world.

Well, this is what I would want to want. I wish the term social anxiety should remain on the internet only. Making huge changes to our education system, providing means for people to re-skill, and encouraging lifelong learning can help mitigate the pain of the transition

Was there a part of the article that you didn’t necessarily think about before, what was it?

I did not think about Universal Basic Income (UBI). The intention behind the system is to provide enough to cover the basic cost of living and establish a sense of financial security for everyone.

Well, this is an ideal concept to offset job losses caused by technology.

Is there anything else about this you’d like us to know? [Trends, future, concerns, hopes… etc.]

Since you are writing almost 2800 words of content, explain tomorrow’s world with the implementation of AI and automation, there would not be any chance of raising a question at the end.

However, you have tried to give every side of the futuristic world along with its drawback. Every industry is concerned about the implementation of new technologies. Besides, every employee is too afraid of losing a job. But thinking about tomorrow in the present won’t bring bright days for you. Hence, upgrade your skills.