Will Humans Be Irrelevant as Robots Take Over Jobs?

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Automation has been on a relentless march since the dawn of the industrial revolution. As technology has advanced, human capital has adapted, shifting focus towards development, maintenance, and the last mile of implementation. These domains have not seen a contraction but rather have expanded over time.

Are Jobs Disappearing, or Are New Ones Being Created?

It is true that some occupations have indeed vanished. For instance, the reliance on numerous oar-weilders to propel classical ships was replaced by more sophisticated sail rigs. Similarly, water-powered looms put many manual weavers out of work in the 18th century. And, in the 19th century, reapers and scythe-wielding laborers saw their roles diminishing with the advent of mechanized equipment. For over a century, the car production sector has been undergoing automation often with the help of robots.

Throughout the last several decades, the employment of large numbers of typists and drawing office staff fell by the wayside as desktop computers and advanced software rendered these positions obsolete. Today, the world's population approaches 9 billion, yet despite this growth, we still manage to find employment for the majority of our workforce. It stands to reason that even as robots take over more jobs, new opportunities will emerge and require advanced human skills and capabilities.

The Role of Human Capital

Automation, far from being a future Armageddon, is a continuous and ongoing process that has been a fact of life for more than 200 years. The rise of automation has been gradual and not suddenly disruptive. It is important not to be misled by simplistic slogans from those who have difficulty comprehending the complexities of job displacement and adaptation.

The Future of Employment

Some may point to a cartoon predicting a dystopian future where robots replace all human labor, but such predictions are far from grounded in reality. The cartoons like this one from the Times of India on October 3, 3024, are purely fictional and not reflective of probable outcomes. It is comforting to acknowledge that by the time such a scenario happens (if it ever does), you won't have to endure it.

As we continue to embrace and adapt to the advancements in technology and automation, the key is to harness human creativity, problem-solving, and resilience to thrive in an evolving job market. Rather than fearing the loss of human jobs, we should be embracing the potential for innovation and new opportunities that technology can bring. The future of employment lies in a dynamic interplay between human skill and machine capability, ensuring a sustainable and inclusive workforce.

Conclusion

The reality is that as robots take over certain jobs, it will be the creativity, innovation, and adaptability of the human workforce that will drive the creation of new opportunities. We must focus on upskilling and retraining to ensure we can take advantage of these changes and continue to find meaningful and fulfilling work.