Will a Robot be Writing my Next Blog to You?
We’ve all been that hopeful, aspiring 20 something graduate who naively launches themselves into their desired job market. Sound familiar?? I think many would agree that it is indeed a daunting, but highly rewarding endeavour. But the forthcoming generation will not only compete with fellow graduates and economic turbulence but artificial intelligence as well. AI is still in its early stage of evolution, but as a minimum, we can assume it will replace roles which are mundane and simple.
The push for a data driven world is likely to converge with AI eventually and the future opportunity is irresistible. Imagine a scenario where your smartphone has a virtual doctor who can assess your vitals, blood pressure and heart rate. And even notify an ambulance if it detects an upcoming heart attack. It is easy to get carried away with such advancements, but it will only be a matter of time.
Technological change has impacted our economy several times throughout history. Although AI is technologically superior when compared to the increasing mechanisation of the Industrial Revolution, the concept I believe, is very much the same. New technology invites new roles and this is an encouraging thought. We can presume that some of us will be initially resistant and susceptible to the required skill gap. Complementing these advancements with hard-work and creativity will hopefully result in us acquiring new roles associated with development of AI. There will be whole new positions which we cannot even imagine at this stage, so it’s really a question of whether or not we adapt to these changes.
Ride-sharing company Uber, posed a threat to traditional transportation services. The technology was so advanced for existing legislation that it took President Barack Obama to personally oversee an updated mandate dubbed the ‘21st Century Regulatory System’, in order to allow new types of modern technology to continue. Uber are now pushing to introduce driverless vehicles, which when complete will wipe out many of the driver opportunities it has created. All in the space of a few years.
We’re still in our baby steps and its hard to be totally ready for AI, but progress and risk go hand in hand. I firmly believe that people will remain at the core of any business – big or small, factory or office. The inevitable assumption that AI will consume some jobs should not intimidate us, but rather, highlight the necessity of the human empathy and relationships in such a virtual world. But hey, a robot may be writing my next blog!!!
