Artificial Intelligence Is Taking Over Jobs That Humans Did For Years

Margie and I were shopping at Sam’s Wholesale Club yesterday when all of a sudden a floor cleaning machine drove right past us.

This doesn’t sound at all eventful, however - at second glance - I could see that the floor cleaning vehicle was driverless. There was a seat, controls, and a steering wheel, but there was no human driver.

As I processed this moment, the first thing I thought about was how cool this is. A driverless, automated vehicle that has a cleaning route all mapped out.

It automatically beeps its horn to alert people of its presence. I watched it break timely for human traffic.

It’s amazing, game-changing technology. The store confidently operates this equipment during normal operating hours with people walking right near it. We were there right at 10:00 a.m., yesterday during the opening minutes of operation.

A moment later, I thought, wow, this equipment has taken away a good job that used to exist.

Now, it’s true that businesses all over America are having a hard time filling numerous open job classifications.

I couldn’t help but think about the many jobs that have been eliminated over the past recent years because of technology.

A few years ago, a McKinsey report highlighted the following statistics:

• 50% of work activities are technically automatable by adapting current technologies.
• More than 30% of activities are technically automatable in around 6 in 10 jobs.

Regarding workforce displacement, they conclude that as many as 800 million global jobs and 475 million employees could be disrupted by automation before 2030.

Here are some of the most recent jobs lost due to technology:

• Toll takers
• Public area attendant positions
• Coin change attendants
• Telephone operators
• In Japan, some hotels are fully using artificial intelligence to clean public areas, guest rooms and the front desk agents are robots.
• Some administrative classifications

Here are six jobs that may disappear by 2030:

• Travel agent
• Taxi Driver
• Administrative legal jobs
• Fast-food cooks (this can already be done with existing technology. It is being done in certain countries at this time.
• Store cashiers (this also is currently being implemented in part at many stores, which provide the option).
• Administrative Assistants

Here are five jobs that won’t be eliminated by 2030:

• Lawyers
• Human Resource positions
• Trades jobs
• Information Technology Analysts
• Radio Talk Show Host named Harry Hurley

In summary, technology is amazing and wonderful. Yet, on the other hand, good jobs that have existed for generations are being eliminated. People will have to become more nimble and adaptable than ever before and be prepared to potentially have to make a career change as the marketplace continues to evolve.