Jobs You Wouldn’t Expect to Be Threatened by Tech but Are

published Aug 22, 2018
2 min read

Digital Workplace

In the war for the workplace, automation is taking the lead. While humans have nobly fought to keep their careers and stay a step ahead in their industry, the lone employee is no match for a machine. As technology continues to invade our lives even further, companies and industries all over the world are finding that in most cases, artificial intelligence trumps that of humankind. While there are a few things that are unique to the human race, when it comes to working a job, most robots can replace you in a second.

Fearing change is nothing new. As technology has continued to develop for generations, humanity has advanced right along with it. Now, we are at a point in history where we find ourselves competing with robots for our very livelihood. In many industries, automation is already running the show, but for a few professions, it won’t be long before tech takes over completely. The careers that will be the first to go are as follows:

Middle Manager

Many companies have developed algorithms that help automate management decisions, including the firing and hiring of workers. Having machines do this grunt work will allow businesses to use their middle managers in other capacities. Additionally, this type of automation software will make its way to other departments like accounting, legal, and more.

Lawyers

The next time you get hit with a ticket from a ruthless meter maid you may have the option of downloading an app and using the services of a robot lawyer. Of course your robot attorney won’t go to court for you, but they can take care of your small legal issues. 160,000 people fight their tickets with the DoNotPay app, which has so far been successful in more than half of its cases. If automation continues to trend this way in the legal field, the average person may be able to say goodbye to the outrageous fees of a real lawyer, opting for the much more cost-effective robotic version.

Journalist

Journalists

Artificially Intelligent robots are being used to create business and sports stories for very notable clients, like Forbes and the Associated Press. According to Kris Hammond of Narrative Science, 90% of journalism will be automated by the year 2030. As content creating and editing software gets smarter, the type of content that machines develop will be comparable to or surpass the quality of that of the best human writers.

Therapists

Human-like robots are already being put to work help instruct children that are on the autism spectrum. These robots demonstrate proper social behaviour to these students while allowing children to experiment with social interaction socially as well. Additionally, robot therapy pets offer companionship for patients suffering from dementia. In the military, virtual therapists are used to screening soldiers that are suffering from PTSD.

Teachers

The software is already a staple in so many institutions and schools around the world. This technology allows students and teachers to manage their coursework, as well as operate online courses. In some schools, robots are actually used in the classroom to instruct students.

Pizza Delivery

Delivery People

Apps like UberEats have already significantly simplified the process of ordering and delivering food. However, with the help of automation, food and more can be delivered without the need or human involvement at all. These delivery robots are used to shuttle packages and meals to their destinations in a nearby area. Starship Technologies has already created a delivery robot and partnered up with DoorDash and Postmates to try out their machine.

Drivers

Whether or not you trust your life to a robot driver isn’t going to stop robots from taking on driving jobs. Popular driving services like Uber and Lyft have already announced their plan to use driverless vehicles in the near future.

Automation will find its way to cars, taxis, buses, and more. In many countries, driverless cars are already a reality. As this technology evolves to account for the safety concerns that driverless cars present, more and more robots will replace human drivers all around the world.

Artists and Musicians

In art and entertainment, you would be hard-pressed to find any process that doesn’t include some form of computer system. In today’s world, certain software can even create new art– something thought to be a purely human quality. While it isn’t likely robots will surpass the creativity of human beings, they will become a more integral part of the creative process.

You’re Not in Trouble Yet

While a robot is fully capable of doing anything a human can, companies won’t be lining up to fire their human employees just yet. Automation is something that can help a lot of processes – so you shouldn’t fear it that much. For example, the sales and order processes can be done with sales order management software. This doesn’t eliminate that work completely – it just lessens the amount of time it takes to do tedious tasks. Those of us that are lawyers, writers, doctors, and the like will see the effects of automation taking place, but will likely not be put out of work for at least a little while longer.