What is the Automation Revolution?
The idea of robots taking over jobs that humans once did used to seem outlandish at one point in time, but in today’s day and age we are actually facing this increasingly automated reality. With machine learning and artificial intelligence on the rise, the question is what impact will automation have on the future of the workforce?
Typically when we think of automation we think of boxy robots performing physical labor tasks, but this is something that is eventually going to affect jobs of all kinds, no matter what the color of your collar is. I spoke with Dr. Barrett Thomas, Professor and Departmental Executive Officer in the Department of Management Sciences of the Tippie College of Business, to gain more insight on the topic.
What jobs are being affected?
Automation is going to be replacing most any kind of highly routine job requiring technical skills that can easily be programmed. In the words of Dr. Thomas, “Automation will replace any repetitive cognitive task.” This means any industry from telemarketing, warehouse operations, and manufacturing to law, medicine, and financial services will be affected by this revolution, and that is just the beginning. According to Dr. Thomas, “When we combine the tremendous amount of data with the storage capacity and computing capabilities we now have into artificial intelligence, we are able to do things we were never able to do before.”
Take “Big Four” accounting organization Deloitte’s machine-learning based technology, Argus, for example. Argus has completely changed the future of auditing, making it possible to analyze hundreds of documents and identify key areas of interest in a fraction of the time it used to take years ago. This process, which used to require multiple days, now happens in real time thanks to artificial intelligence. Technology is going to keep developing at this uncanny pace whether we like it or not. So what can we do to keep up with this “robot revolution”?
How does this pertain to emerging young professionals?
This is the question professionals of all fields and university faculty across the country are asking. “We all have to prepare ourselves because a lot of the basic entry level tasks we are currently doing are going to change, and what we think of as ‘entry level’ is going to change as well,” stated Dr. Thomas. For these reasons, it is essential to key in on what automation will not be able to take away.
In a report published in 2017, the World Economic Forum created a list of the top 10 things individuals need to thrive in 2020. At the top of their list ranked complex problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, and creativity. Being able to identify problems in the real world and interpret analysis is of utmost importance. “I don’t think automation will ever be able to figure out how to ask the right questions or figure out what the right questions are,” stated Dr. Thomas. Being able to interpret data and think critically like this are traits that remain irreplaceably human.
This is not to say that technical skills are going to become useless in the future. In fact, trade skills are the foundation professionals need to be able to conceptualize these high level analysis and draw meaningful conclusions. As summarized by Dr. Thomas, “We still need to teach finance, marketing, or accounting for example, because students need that context in order to be able to be ask the right questions and understand the outcomes of the analysis.”
What good will come out of this?
This conversation about the role of automation in the workforce often sparks fear or resentment, especially for those whose jobs would or are being affected. However, it is important to realize the good that would come out of a world in which we coexisted with artificial intelligence. Dr. Thomas points out, “There are things that humans don’t do well. We don’t do repetitive cognitive tasks well because there will always be human error. We make mistakes and we get tired, but machines don’t.” Automation would drive up our society’s productivity and efficiency, causing increased prosperity.
Looking back at the industrial revolution or the introduction of the internet, we can see that most every significant societal change is met with opposition, only to be followed up by significant growth. Incorporating automation into the work force is no different. This is just scratching the surface level of an extremely complex converstaion, but it is important to have at least a working knowledge about the ways in which technology has already begun to shape our future. On that note, I will leave you with this quote from Dr.Thomas: “Things have changed and there is always going to be fear with change. The way to a better and more prosperous future is increasing our productivity and one of the ways to do that is through utilizing artificial intelligence.”
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