The buzz around AI taking over jobs has been around forever. Especially after the start of AI usage in conventional applications. While automation certainly makes life easier and processes efficient, it still hasn’t reached a stage where a business or an office can be completely reliant on them. But the growth of AI has been unprecedented and it will only expand in the times to come. And that begs the question, what will happen to conventional jobs? Will AI take over your job? or will you get replaced by a robot? Let’s find out.
The State and Future of Jobs
The process of job automation started even before the internet came into being. Back in the late 80s, computers were typing machines that were rapidly replacing handwritten copywriting jobs. The situation and status surrounding AI and job automation are more intricate than they might actually seem.
Most people will come to a gross conclusion that AI and robots will be the future workforce and humans will be left without a job. And that is true, but partially. The World Economic Forum predicts that almost 85 million jobs will be lost to some form of automation. However, there is also another aspect. WEF also claims that because of automation through AI and robots, another 95 million jobs will be generated in place of the lost ones.
So, while automation will take over certain jobs, there are ones that will remain for humans and others that will be created as an alternative. But what are the current jobs that are at the risk of becoming obsolete? Here are a few prominent ones.
Which Professions Can Be Replaced by AI
Customer Service Representatives
The use of AI is already becoming prominent in the customer service industry. This is a low-skilled job that is mainly based on human interactions of answering queries and solutions. AI-powered chatbots are increasingly helping businesses to automate the customer service process. It not only brings better efficiency but also reduces the cost of maintaining a representative team.
Data Entry
Data entry is another low-skilled job that is commonly seen in Bangladesh. These are mainly contractual positions where a person is hired based on projects. There are some permanent jobs in the government services for data entry operators as well.
But as AI and ML become increasingly streamlined to read and interpret data, the chances of data entry operator jobs becoming obsolete in the next half a decade seems imminent.
Front Desk Receptionists
Front Desk Receptionist jobs are also at risk because of automation. The implication has become more prominent after the advent of the pandemic. The pandemic forced automation, social distancing, self-checkouts, and check-ins meant the job of the receptionist became virtually zero. And in the new normal, it is hard to see the position of receptionist staying viable in the long run.
From the context of Bangladesh, the receptionist job may still prevail for some time as the automation might take some time to replace direct queries. But eventually, the position still remains at risk of becoming obsolete.
Proofreading
Proofreading should not be confused with the job of the editor of a piece. While editing involves working with the style and tone of a written piece to suit the writer’s style and audience, proofreading simply checks for grammatical errors and major flaws in the writing.
However, applications like Grammarly and Hemingway are becoming increasingly flawless at detecting mistakes. And not just these two, some other similar applications and websites do the job of proofreading pretty well and free of cost. As things stand, the job of proofreaders might soon go out of business.
Retail Sector
The retail sector jobs like shop managers, executives and cashiers might soon become irrelevant. Now one might think about how grocery stores work then? We suggest you check out Amazon Go. These are a range of super shops without a single representative.
Customers will go in, pick up what they need, and pay automatically on their way out. The powerful ML and AI can track what you are picking and not and prepare the bill accordingly. It’s only a matter of time before this technology becomes mainstream for other retail giants across the globe.
Delivery Solutions
AI and automation have brought a revolutionary change in the supply chain as well as logistics of many large-scale companies. The technology that was used for processing and tracking packages has slowly started to trickle into the process of deliveries itself.
Amazon has already started testing out the possibility of using drones to make deliveries. Needless to say, the job of the traditional door-to-door deliveries is also under threat.
Market Analysts
There is a whole specified field of people who specialize in market analysis to make better investment choices. Market analysts as they are known use the existing and historical data to prepare the reports and forecasts, something that AI and ML can do far more accurately. Though this technology is in its nascent stage, there will soon come a time when AI will be able to make far more accurate market forecasts compared to analysts.
Soldiers
While warfare anywhere is not commendable, it is still a persistent tool for safeguarding the interest of a nation. And the soldiers have always been at the forefront of any wars. But that too might change in the future as newer and advanced technologies are developed.
Many developed countries are already testing out specialized drones and intercontinental missile systems. Soon wars will be fought without the need for soldiers, though it may have other consequences for humanity.
Final Words
So far, we have discussed some of the most common jobs that can be replaced by artifical ingellinge in future. Besides these, there are many types of jobs under different fields that are under direct threat from AI and automation. But of course, they make up a small part of an existing system.
Free thinking, human creativity, writing, poets – the host of jobs that will forever need a human essence are far too many. So while it might be a long shot till AI and ML make a noticeable dent in human employment, it is still assumed that the benefits of automation outweigh its negative implications.
Source: United News of Bangladesh