In the context of the popularization of artificial intelligence, there are some jobs that computers cannot replace for the time being. A recent Goldman Sachs report estimated that AI's ability to generate content could replace a quarter of current human jobs, while 300 million jobs could be lost to automation in the European Union and the United States. Martin Ford, author of "The Rule of Robots: How Artificial Intelligence Will Change Everything," says this could be a scary scenario. But Ford noted that while the rise of AI raises concerns, there are still jobs that require distinctly human traits, such as emotional intelligence and creative thinking.
He noted that three categories of jobs are relatively safe in the short term. The first category is truly creative work, which involves coming up with new ideas and creating new things. However, this does not mean that all jobs that are considered "creative" are safe. In fact, positions like graphic design and visual arts-related positions may be the first to be eliminated, with basic algorithms guiding robots to analyze millions of images, allowing AI to grasp aesthetics in an instant. But Ford says there are still some safeguards in other types of creative fields: "In science, medicine and law ... Those jobs are developing new legal strategies or business strategies, and I think humans will continue to play a role in this area. ”
The second category is jobs that require complex relationships, such as nurses, business consultants, and investigative journalists. These jobs require a deep understanding of human interaction, so AI will struggle to replace these roles for the foreseeable future. The third category is jobs that require flexibility in an unpredictable environment, such as electricians, plumbers, welders, etc. These tasks are difficult to automate because they require a high degree of flexibility and problem-solving capabilities to deal with a variety of new situations.
Joanne Song McLaughlin, an associate professor of labor economics at the University at Buffalo in New York State, said most jobs are likely to be automated by technology, regardless of industry. "In many cases, jobs are not immediately threatened, but mandates change," she said. Song McLaughlin went on to say that human work will focus more on interpersonal skills. It is conceivable that, for example, AI will detect cancer better than humans. In the future, I expect doctors to use this new technology. But I don't think the whole role of the doctor will be replaced. "I think it's wise to really think, 'Which tasks in my job will be replaced, or will computers or AI do better?'" And what are my complementary skills? She mentioned that in the past, bank tellers had to do very precise money counting. Now, this task has been automated, but bank tellers still have their place. "The task of counting money is obsolete because of the machines," she said. "But now, bank tellers are more focused on connecting with customers and promoting new products. Social skills become more important. ”
It's important to note that Ford points out that higher education or high-paying jobs won't fend off AI takeovers. "We might think that white-collar workers are higher in the food chain than people driving cars," he said. "But the future of white-collar workers is a bigger threat than Uber drivers because we don't have self-driving cars yet, but AI is certainly capable of writing reports." In many cases, more educated workers are more threatened than less educated workers. Think of the people who clean hotel rooms – it's hard to automate this work. ”
Overall, focusing on work that involves creativity, complex relationships, and flexible problem-solving can be relatively safe in the short term.