Are Robots Going To Take My Job? The War Between Man and Machine

• There are many things that a robot can do, and many that they simply can't
• Researchers predict that the entire professional landscape will be replaced by robots in next 20 years
• Jobs with high levels of flexibility and interpersonal communication predicted to be safe from mechanized invasion

AUGUST 1, 2017: Man and machine have had a long association. Computers can drive cars now. They undertake scientific experiments in labs. And independently undertake to telemarket, among other things.

What does this mean for us as a society; will robots take our jobs?

As technology advances and computers learn to perform human tasks in lesser time and with greater efficiency than humans themselves, the professional landscape appears to be changing with machines taking over and threatening human job security.

According to global research firm Gartner, one in three jobs that exist today will be 'converted' to smart machines, robots, and software by 2025. Robots, it seems are taking over the world and how!

If this trend continues, it is going to be a struggle to find a job and NewsGram will have to publish an article that says "Run for your jobs, the robots are coming!"

However, there still remain a combination of traits and jobs that an automated machine will not be able to replace for a long time.

What job is hardest for a robot to do?

Some aspects of a job are easier to automate than others depending upon the job- for example, telemarketing, which has already made the transition to a completely machine-run business.

According to a study by NPR, researchers have recognized 9 possible traits that are hard to be computerized. Among those, cleverness, negotiation, squeezing into small spaces, and helping others ranks high.

While the competition between man and machine stiffens, these are professions where human creativity, subjective judgment, and craftsmanship remain superior to any skill and cannot be matched by a machine,

1. Healthcare and Medicine

Computers are being increasingly used in the healthcare sector for their technical expertise and data analysis, which has been reasonably automated as per latest robot technology. However, there continue to be aspects of healthcare that machines are simply incapable of the undertaking, like dealing with human psychology, taking tough decisions from incomplete data charts, etc. Machines lack empathy, a trait that forms the basis of the medical industry with patients investing trust in their doctors and reciprocating to their genuine concerns.

Because of their complexity and computing abilities, robots pose a threat of malfunctioning and putting a patient's life in risk- the reason why it will be safe for humans to find a job in the healthcare sector.

2. Education

With the advancement of technology, and the coming of online tutoring sites and computer applications, the education landscape has undergone a major change. However, this has not eradicated the need for human teachers. They co-exist with these online education portals, creating material and undertaking classes via the internet.

Their requirement can also not be replaced in the context of the more emotive and objective subjects like music, arts, and literature. Therefore, education will remain one industry to guarantee job security in this regard.

3. Culinary arts

Cooking is a combination of crafts and science and poses provocative questions whether the industry can be replaced by robots.

While one school of thought agrees that latest robot technology can 'duplicate' any recipe ever devised by mimicking precise human movements, it is largely believed that machines cannot take over culinary industry for their lack of senses- taste, smell, touch, sight, and hearing. In this regard, robots continue to be dumb, passive appliances that need instructions to function and lack creativity and experimentation, the foundation of culinary arts.

ALSO READ Robots displace millions of Manufacturing Workers in US: Automation getting Cheaper and more Common

4. Law making

Placing politics, law, and order in the hands of an automated machine is touted as a suicidal form of anti-humanism for the simple reason that robots cannot think.

Drafting new laws requires taking into account past societal conditions and present, along with attention to the requirement and problem, in addition to strong interpersonal skills. Lawmakers and juries will always need some sense of human discernment to make laws and take judicial judgments, securing the professional legal landscape only for man.

In this regard, artificial intelligence will continue to be just that – artificial.

5. Journalistic and Creative Writing

Robots cannot process human level of creativity, subjectivity and thus, expression. Good journalism will always be in demand which will be a major roadblock for machines taking over jobs.

While computers can be programmed to put together facts in perfect grammar, what they cannot replace is the human art of storytelling- to hold attention, keep them engrossed, and move the readers emotionally. In this current 'Age of Content', good writing has become an extremely profitable commodity. Interesting pieces that dig deep into the story and compel readers to read and share multiple times are traits that a machine cannot undertake.

Not on the list but definitely not going to be replaced anytime soon,

1. Artists (Dancer, musician, painting, singing)
2. Mental health professionals
3. Sportsmen
4. Anthropologists and archaeologists
5. Social and community servicemen

We hope you have a happy day at work. And if your job isn't on the list, then you have been warned.

– by Soha Kala of NewsGram. Twitter @SohaKala

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