Last week, I received an email from a parent about the concerns of employment of young people in the future due to the rise of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.
Copy of Email Message
Hi Anish,
Thank you for your email about artificial intelligent robots, I had no idea the programs existed until you mentioned it last week and over the last few days I have had a go at Chat GPT and I was amazed at how good it was and how fast it answered my questions, I can't believe its free.
My worry for my daughter is what if she goes into a career where her job can be replaced by robots or artificial intelligence, what does she do? Do you know of any careers that will be safe 5-10 years from now?
My Original Response
I initially answered the question but it later got me thinking about her email more and I thought I could improve on my response. So i decided to reply to her email on this blogpost, so here goes.
My Advanced Response
Thank you for your question, I understand your concerns for the future, the truth is there is no simple answer to your questions.
I don't believe there is any single job/career that is that is safe from being replaced by artificial intelligence, robotics or technological advances. If there was a simple answer to this, everybody would want to aim for this career and we would have a supply demand problem as everyone would want to go into that career.
Do something you enjoy
My best advice on what your daughter should go into is firstly pick something she enjoys.
I know so many young adults that are in well paid jobs but absolutely hate going to work everyday. There's no point having a well paid career if you are miserable everyday.
Another thing to note is a career that is in demand today will probably not be in demand 10 years from now.
Don't be afraid to embrace Technological Advances
These advances in technology are here to make our lives better and easier, not to replace humans. We should learn to embrace and adapt to these new technologies as this is what sets us apart from others. Learn to use these tools to improve your current workflow and be more efficient.
Many large companies that have failed to adapt to new technologies and as a result they lost a lot of business or in some cases went bankrupt. Many of the companies below, you will have heard of as the were household names.
Why did Kodak fail?
Kodak was a leading company photographic film before digital cameras became popularised. Kodak failed to innovate to digital cameras and this is what lead to its demise.
Fun Fact: Kodak actually developed a digital camera back in 1975 but chose not to release it because of fears it would drop sales in their photographic film.
Why did Blockbuster Fail?
Remember blockbuster the video rental store, at its peak it had 9000 stores and employed over 84,000 people. Blockbuster failed to adapt to the trend of online streaming with companies like Netflix. It didn’t see them as a threat and as a result, anyone under the age of 20 doesn’t know what Blockbuster was.
Why did Blackberry Fail?
Here’s a company that most people will remember. Blackberry was a leading mobile phone company and at its peak had 80 million Blackberry users. Blackberry failed to adapt to touch screen based technology when Apple and Google began to make smart phones.
How jobs have evolved over the last 100 years
Over the last 100 years, jobs have evolved from mainly manual labour to now mainly office based jobs. There is also an increase in creativity jobs which require thinking and idea creation.
I feel the best paid careers of the future will require less manual labour and more creativity and acceptance of the changing world around us.
Recommendation
My recommendation is not to worry about going for careers where people cannot be replaced by AI, robotics and technology but embrace the future. These technologies still require human input, be it programming the AI or managing the robots. Stick to a field which you are interested in not just one that pays well.
When new technologies emerge, learn about them before everyone else. The pictures in this article have been created by Artificial Intelligence too!!!
Response to Email by CHatGPT
Finally, I thought it would be interesting to see how ChatGPT would respond to the email so I asked ChatGPT to respond to this email, you can find its response below which it wrote for me in under 10 seconds compared to the three hours it took me to write the rest of the article!!!
Dear [Name],
Thank you for your email, I'm glad to hear that you have had a positive experience with Chat GPT. Artificial intelligence and robotics have indeed made significant advancements in recent years, and it's understandable that you may have concerns about the impact on the job market.
It's difficult to predict with certainty which careers will be safe from automation in the next 5-10 years, as technological developments and economic trends can be unpredictable. However, there are certain skills and fields that are less likely to be automated in the near future.
Jobs that require creative problem-solving, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence are less likely to be replaced by machines. For example, careers in fields such as healthcare, education, and social work involve complex decision-making and human interaction, making them less susceptible to automation.
Jobs that involve physical dexterity and mobility, such as construction and transportation, are also less likely to be replaced by robots in the near future.
It's also worth noting that many jobs may not be entirely replaced by automation, but may instead be augmented by it. For example, some industries are incorporating artificial intelligence and robotics to help workers be more efficient and effective.
Ultimately, it's important for your daughter to pursue a career that she is passionate about and that aligns with her strengths and interests. Developing a diverse set of skills and staying up-to-date with emerging technologies and trends can also help to future-proof her career.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Best regards, [Your Name]
