The Oxford University unveiled an analysis as per which robots will claim more than half of our jobs in the next 25 years. It sure sounds scary if you are only aware of the superficial details related to AI.
How has AI evolved over the years?
It was always normal for machines to manage the low-level manual jobs with automation. Over the years, however, AI and machine learning have gone beyond and become capable of judgement and decision-making. It was normal for machines to handle routine cognitive tasks such as underwriting, telemarketing and basic tax preparations. Automation has started in all domains, like manufacturing, retail, healthcare, finance, legal and all the other industries that you can think of. Now is the time when smart machines are becoming capable of high order judgements.
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Will robots replace us at work?
The moment we start discussing about robots taking away our jobs, I am sure you have a picture of hundreds of robots marching to your office and replacing you at work. We fear that we will be displaced at work (thanks to the movie Terminator). But the reality is that robots will not just replace humans but complement our work (making it more valuable). The redundancy from everyday work will be eliminated and humans can be more productive and efficient. AI will get rid of repetitive manual tasks and impact the labor market for sure. Jobs like customer service, stock trading, medical diagnostics, travel planning and even designing of clothes can be easily managed by the next gen technologies.
The other myth is surrounding the sanctity of the intelligence of machines. With the chess champion, Deep Blue, should we doubt that anymore? It could evaluate 200 million positions per second. Chess champion, Garry Kasparov, who lost the chess match to Deep blue believes that if you can’t beat them then you should join them. He believes that rather than playing against each other if he combined his intuition and strategy with the machine’s memory, calculation and tactics – it will result in a perfect game.
When we talk of the combined power of humans and machines, it is in the present.
Artificial Intelligence and its related technologies can make it possible to crunch data, analyze it, and get a result that’s based on insightful analysis of all that data. What many people are not aware of, however, is that if robots will take our jobs away, there are new jobs that will be created. There are many myths that we surround ourselves with when it comes to Artificial Intelligence, Robots, Machine Learning and similar terms.
Artificial Intelligence means new opportunities and demand for new skills
We need to look at AI as an opportunity to find ways to do our jobs more efficiently and effectively, without replacing the human component. Instead, AI can free the individual up to focus on tasks they do better than an AI system.
There are new opportunities that will require skills to collaborate with AI components. Rather than getting panicked about all the changes that we are unprepared for, let’s start to focus on AI-driven skills and let’s get set go.
While AI and Machine Learning are excellent at identifying patterns from big data volumes, human intervention is still required to add value and perform an in-depth analysis. These technologies can collate data, follow certain rules, and make predictions about the future based on that. AI and Machine Learning are not, however, capable of creating new content and ideas. It’s only humans that can observe, scrutinizing and create new understandings.
If you think that you have critical thinking, you have a skill that is highly desirable for the future. The digital age is so blinding that we tend to surrender to information bubbles generated by algorithms and bots. Critical thinking indicates the good sense to decipher information given by algorithms and valuable information.
Only humans are capable of ethical, morally right and making intelligent judgement. If we rely on algorithms alone, the result is something like – Microsoft’s Tay. The Twitter chatbot that became racist and abusive after being fed a lot of negative trolls.
Machines are also not responsible for negotiation skills, communication or convincing.
From the discussion above, there’s one thing that is absolutely crystal clear. Soft skills will be an absolutely must in the AI age. If you’re brilliant at interpersonal skills, listening, empathy and are good at intuition, you have bright chances of survival in the future. AI is not above human value system. It will be humans to decide whether the action taken by AI technology is valuable or worthy or not. AI will get better with the help of humans and who knows the AI of tomorrow will be able to write novels, compose music, draw paintings and be capable of creative intelligence.
Do you think that you’re prepared for Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and the future technologies? If you wish to discuss your preparedness, we’re waiting to hear from you.
By: Katie Johns