Formerly the subject of sci-fi novels, film and television shows, the rise of the AI has now become a reality for our daily lives. AI, machine learning, cognitive platforms and robotic process automation. It’s been called the ‘fourth industrial revolution’. The future is wide open, with seemingly limitless possibilities for automation becoming a part of our everyday routine.
While for many, this is an exciting prospect, there are plenty of others who are intimidated by the growth of automation. Over the last decade, debate has raged over whether AI will swoop in and steal the livelihoods from millions of workers across the world. People are afraid for their jobs, particularly in sectors where work is of a more routine variety.
In the manufacturing industry, for example, we are already seeing an increase in the use of automated labour for mundane tasks. A 2017 report from Pricewaterhouse Cooper declared that 40% of US jobs were at ‘high risk’ of automation, although the net impact is ‘unclear’. AI expert Kai Fu Lee believes that 40% of the world’s jobs will be replaced by robots, with the first to go being those who drive for a living.
So, the question is, How will humans and robots coexist in the workplace?
Silicon Valley startup Fetch offers an insight into the possible future of automation. The company designs, programmes and builds machines to help companies from laboratories to warehouses with their daily operations. At their office, around 50 staff and over 125 robots work side by side. There’s even a ‘snackbot’ – a robot that brings hungry workers cookies whenever they type ‘Robot, I’m hungry’ into their Slack messenger. Founder and CEO Melonee Wise hopes that the growth of automation will create more jobs as technology advances.
Others agree. Many AI proponents believe that robotics and AI will enhance the way we do just about everything, while creating new jobs for people. While most accept that there will be some displacement, many believe that the loss will be mitigated by the creation of new jobs. These jobs will, however, require greater education and training. Workers will be required to evolve their skills if they wish to keep up.
Increasing Productivity
Many believe that automation will make humans more productive. With automation tackling tasks that are repetitive and time-consuming, workers will gain the freedom to address some of the more complex issues faced by today’s society. AI can quickly identify problems and significantly cut down the time spent on different tasks. Great leaps have been made for example in using AI for customer service and internal decision making. Delegating these tasks to robots will leave humans free to innovate.
People predict that, as productivity increases, costs will decrease and demand will go up, helping to drive the creation of new jobs. PwC estimates that AI will create 7.2 million UK jobs over the next two decades.
Developing New Skills
For workers who will find themselves displaced by automation, the key is retraining and upskilling. More high tech roles will open up as the need for people to work on the new technology rises. Currently, there is a skills gap. Companies and governments, therefore, will need to find ways of helping people to upskill, providing education opportunities and more advanced training. In addition, workers will need to be willing to continually develop and learn new skills to keep up with the fast-paced technological world.
In the mid 20th century, as the USA battled to beat Russia in the space race, a woman named Dorothy Vaughan changed history. Recognising that the introduction of machine computing would spell an end to the need for her role as a ‘human computer’, Vaughan set to learning FORTRAN, a computer programming language. She became an expert programmer and played a key role in supporting NASA’s goal of launching an astronaut into space. Her story was later depicted in the 2016 film Hidden Figures. Dorothy knew that complacency is dangerous, choosing motivation over fear to upskill and become an even more valuable asset to her organisation.
Working Together
While most sci-fi stories envision a kind of battle between robots and humans, a ‘race for prominence’, some companies, such as Fetch, have already proved that humans and automation can work side by side.
Humans offer things that automation will struggle to or perhaps never fully master, such as emotional intelligence, empathy and nuanced judgement. Humans are hardwired for connection. Relationships. Something an AI cannot replicate. Automation too, while excellent at carrying out repetitive jobs, are unable to respond to situations for which they haven’t been programmed.
Many envision automation as helping workers by making them more effective, simplifying difficult tasks and taking responsibility for time-consuming, mundane work. Workers can then take on much more varied tasks. This will result in a workforce that is more engaged and more valuable, with a wider range of skills to offer the company. By working together, humans and automation can add immeasurable value to an organisation.
Adapting to Change
Change is nothing new. Ever since the industrial revolution, workers have been displaced by new technology and innovation. It is humans’ ability to adapt to change that makes society great. In a world where automation becomes the norm, the types of jobs needed will change. Industries will be redesigned around the growth of machine learning. Leaders in every sector will need to learn how to integrate automation into their operations, with many already rising to the challenge. Siemens, always at the forefront of cutting edge technology, is exploring how AI can be used in our everyday interactions. And Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon says:
‘Machine learning and AI…will empower and improve every business, every government organisation, every philanthropy – basically there’s no institution in the world that cannot be improved with machine learning’.
The key to succeeding in an automated world is simply to be prepared. Be prepared to learn, adapt and to employ the expansive capabilities of automation to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems.
According to a report by worldwide consulting firm McKinsey, ‘by 2030 roughly 70% of companies will have adopted at least one type of AI technology’.
The future is not slowing down. It is up to humans to shift and evolve. To take on the opportunities automation presents and use them to make great advances in efficiency and effectiveness.
The AI revolution is coming. Are we ready?