Technology and work
It is now crystal clear that the advancement in tech has brought about change in the what jobs are done and the way they are done. New innovations in artificial intelligence, robotics and renewable energy has caused a drastic change in the worlds labour market too. Technology is currently performing well over 30% of overall tasks, while humans account for the rest percentage and this ratio is projected to equalize in few years time.
Technology changes has brought about speedy manufacturing and more efficient productivity, but people now have a general ideology that tech is reducing jobs. For instance, before now, when filming movies/videos at high altitudes a helicopter and an experienced photographer is required. But with the advent of drone technology, both the pilot and the photographer are not needed. This technically proves that the drone has made them lose their jobs but let’s look at it the other way round.
To operate a drone, you still have to be a photographer, drones are aerial cameras. And also to fly a drone you also need to be a good drone pilot - Most of the time, the photographer is usually the drone pilot. With this observation, drone technology only reduced the complexity of the job but didn’t eradicate it. The same applies to most fields and job categories. Technology is actually changing what job that needs to be done, not causing unemployment.
Final thoughts
The World Economic Forum has stated that the prolonged increase in technology and automation would displace more than 85Million jobs by 2025, by the same year it is expected to create 12 Million more jobs than it destroys. Therefore to be part of the new working scape of the future, you have to adapt to change in tech. We don’t expect technological advancements to recede anytime soon and to earn you need to learn to use these toys.
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change” - Steve Hawkins.
