Technology and automation: 10 jobs at risk of extinction.

During the 19th century, Jules Verne’s novels introduced the world to some ideas of what the future held in terms of industrial-age inventions. Verne predicted the submarine, the helicopter and travel to the moon. During the 20th century, cinema was the medium through which ideas about what the future would be like were disseminated. Films such as 2001 A Space Odyssey, Star Trek and Blade Runner showed a world in which computers and ICT played a leading role. With the advent of driverless vehicles, the ability to predict human behavior with deep learning (a branch of artificial intelligence) and Amazon’s drones , technological advances are already here and are fast becoming commonplace in our daily lives. Artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR) and robotics have generated a new technological wave that forces us to analyze their potential effects and, consequently, adapt to them. Many jobs are already being automated and are therefore in danger of becoming obsolete, but it is also true that many new jobs are being created, such as that of a web developer or data analyst.

A report by McKinsey Global Institute states that:

“Automation technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics will generate significant benefits for individuals, companies and countries, increasing productivity and economic growth. The extent to which these technologies will replace workers will depend on the pace of their development and adoption, economic growth and the volume of labor demand. Even if automation causes a decline in jobs in some sectors, this technology will change many more (60% of jobs have at least 30% of tasks that could be automated). Automation will also create jobs that don’t exist today, just as past technologies did.”

The report shows that manufacturing and agriculture industries are suffering the steepest large-scale employment declines.

There is also a sharp decline in labor demand for mechanics, factory workers, repair technicians and janitors:

Based on the information in this report and that provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics., we present the 10 jobs that are in danger of becoming obsolete because of automation and disruptive technologies. If this will happen in 10 or 100 years, nobody knows, but this is good food for thought about the future:

1. Farmers and agricultural managers

Jobs in the world of agriculture are being drastically affected. Machinery such as tractors and driverless harvesters are eliminating the need for workers, which means that many people have to retrain and look for work elsewhere.

2. Postal Service mail sorters and deliverers

With technological advances like Amazon’s drones, the future of jobs in the postal service industry is not looking good. Not to be outdone, Amazon’s competitors are also developing their own drones, so the postal service as we know it could soon be a thing of the past.

3. Financial advisors

Financial advisor positions are also being automated. Financial companies such as SigFig and WealthFront are two examples of companies that are automating their advisors advisors in a progressive manner.

4. Medical prescribers

Are prescription prescribers being affected by AI? Surprisingly, yes. One UCSF medical center is currently using robotics to monitor prescriptions. To date, these machines have not made any mistakes.

5. Door to door sales

Today, anyone, anywhere, can buy anything online and receive the service or product virtually the same day. This accessibility to products is making door-to-door sales a thing of the past.

6. Equipment assemblers

When we think of the effect that disruptive technologies will have on jobs, those people who work with machinery come to mind. And it’s true. Machinery is taking over the assembly of equipment in factories, and production line workers are rapidly being replaced by more efficient robotic counterparts.

7. Informaticians

The job of a computer scientist is to monitor and correct errors made by a computer. However, nowadays there is no need for a computer scientist, since software advances make it possible to correct these errors automatically.

8. Banking Employees

Bank clerks will soon be a thing of the past. Today an ATM is capable of doing 90% of the work of a human teller and with the digital revolution, which shows no signs of slowing down, this number could quickly grow to 100%.

9. Uber and delivery truck drivers.

If you’re counting on making continuous money as an Uber driver for years to come, you’d better not do it! Uber, Waymo and Tesla are making huge strides in perfecting the driverless car, and professional drivers will have a hard time finding work.

10. Travel Agents

Booking a trip anywhere in the world is now easier than ever! Convenient apps like Kayak, Expedia, Booking.com and Airbnb have taken over the travel industry, eliminating the middlemen from the equation.

Conclusion

Yes, disruptive technology and automation will drive some jobs into obsolescence, but it’s not all bad news. As automation and AI increase productivity and economic growth, many new jobs will be created. What does this mean for you? If you are one of the many people whose job is in jeopardy, you should consider learning the digital skills that will allow you to improve your career options.

Ignoring the digital revolution is not an option, we have to take advantage of the tools it offers us and start exploring the new and highly demanded technological professions.

Over time, technology creates more jobs than it destroys, the key is to have the necessary skills to access these new jobs.