2020 is shaping up to be a big year in technology. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, robots will apparently take over about five million jobs. It is the latest in a series of figures economists have released projecting the impact that Artificial Intelligent systems and machines will have on the human workforce.
Economist and director of consultants Alpha Beta, Andrew Charlton, says that automation is affecting predominantly white-collar jobs more and more than it ever has in the past.
The jobs most at risk of being replaced by machines are those in administrative and routine white-collar office functions. Furthermore, some industries where machines already play a large part, like manufacturing and production, will see further robot substitution.
Robots are good at performing repetitive and mundane tasks and safer for jobs involving danger or damage. Listed are some of the workplaces dominated by Artificial Intelligent machines.
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Military
Military robots had been in use since world war II. Since then, several military robots have been developed by various armies. Some common robots used by the military are Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) robots, which are capable of examining suspicious packages and surrounding areas to find and even deactivate improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines.
Robots could replace one-fourth of all U.S. combat soldiers by 2030, according to U.S. Army Gen. Robert Cone. The robots may be able to do everything from dismantling land mines to engaging in front-line combat.
Car Production
Robots are used in the automobile industry to assist in manufacturing cars. These high-powered machines have mechanical arms with tools, wheels, and sensors that make them ideal for assembly line jobs. Not only do robots save more money in manufacturing costs, but they also perform tough tasks at a pace no human could possibly do. Automotive industry robots are capable of performing a wide range of tasks such as installation, painting, and welding, and aren’t restricted by fatigue or health risks, therefore making them an incredibly useful and irreplaceable part of car production.
Space
The most commonly used space robots are the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), which are both used in a variety of space missions. NASA’s robonaut is the most amazing example of using android technology. It is highly equipped with a wide range of sensors which help to do all the menial jobs just like cleaning, assisting the humans in space work and so on. So, in this sector too the robots are being widely used.
Pharmacies
A growing number of pharmacies are installing robotic dispensing systems to optimize prescription fulfillment, improve efficiency, and deliver enhanced patient-centered consultations. In 2004 Willach was the first company to install a robotic dispensing machine in Australia. Over the years many pharmaceutical companies followed. The University of California, San Francisco medical center has recently launched a robotics controlling lab at two hospitals.
Agriculture
Automation in agriculture dates back to the 1950s and 60s taking thousands of jobs away from farmers. Much of farming involves routine tasks that robots can more efficiently do, including surveying the land, driving the tractors, and cutting, pruning, and harvesting the crops, says IBISWorld industry analyst Jeremy Edwards. Robots remove the human factor from this labor-intensive and difficult work, hence the agriculture sector is majorly dominated by robotic machines.
Journalism
China has found itself in the midst of a full-blown robot obsession in recent years, with robots writing news reports. Areas that focus on numbers like market reports and sports are already being replaced by robots as they can be programmed to analyze the somewhat monotonous nature of its reporting. Even in the U.S., automated reports are fast becoming a norm for certain data-heavy sort of news, such as finance, sports, and weather.
“The best thing you can do as a worker is to make sure you’re not doing something routine and repetitive and predictable,” says author and futurist Martin Ford.
This may feel like the millionth estimate of how many jobs we are losing to the Artificial Intelligent apocalypse. But this one seems more alarming in terms of its immediacy and the broad impact. Is your job in danger of being replaced by a computer?
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