Robots are going to take your job, but not your opportunity.

For decades we have heard talk of robots taking our jobs, but we are getting a lot closer now.  By all accounts, AI is making big strides and everything from manufacturing to brain surgery is going to be handled by robots at some point.  Some say that by 2060 we are all out of a job.

This is, of course, extremely short sighted.  We’ve lost jobs to robots and automation little by little over time.  The manufacturing technician is out of a job……unless he or she can program PLCs.  The grocery checker is out of a job……unless he or she can provide good customer service and punch in the code for mangos when needed or check your ID for alcohol purchases.  Umpires may not be calling balls and strikes soon, but they will be on the field to make the calls that can’t be automated and interpret the rules in tricky situations.

The story isn’t changing.  You can’t stay still.  You have to evolve and improve your skills, but that has always been the case.  Every job is replaced eventually.  How many telephone operators do you know?  It is coming faster though.  We are in a period of big strides for automation, technology, and the early stages of the use of Big Data.  Jobs will disappear, but the opportunities won’t.  We aren’t looking at mass unemployment in the future, but those who fail to keep moving forward will be left behind.

Nothing new.

Todd Kmiec

https://www.linkedin.com/in/toddkmiec/