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Artificial Intelligence threatens a jobless future

Sibahle Malinga
By Sibahle Malinga, ITWeb senior news journalist.
Johannesburg, 03 May 2016
Artificial Intelligence will in future lead to a crisis in the legal fraternity, says World Wide Worx's Arthur Goldstuck.
Artificial Intelligence will in future lead to a crisis in the legal fraternity, says World Wide Worx's Arthur Goldstuck.

Considering the artificial intelligence (AI) devices that are coming into play and their potential gives us an indication of the dramatic impact they will have on various industries in future. The book titled "The Rise of the Robots" by Martin Ford has sent shockwaves to many industries in explaining how and why many jobs will become redundant in the future.

So says Arthur Goldstuck, MD of World Wide Worx, who explains the working environment of today will change dramatically due to the job threats posed by artificial intelligence. Goldstuck says we are already seeing this change in some industries such as the media, manufacturing, automotive, fast-food industry and more.

"Vehicle drivers for example are going to be in trouble in the future because the autonomous car means we don't need professional drivers. Although the requirements will mean you would still need someone with a driver's licence inside the car, but they don't have to be behind the steering wheel," he explains.

He adds ride-hailing service, Uber, which is synonymous with disruption, will in itself be disrupted by the rise of the autonomous car.

Goldstuck warns we should also expect to see fewer burger flippers as robotic intelligence disrupts the fast-food industry.

"Fast food workers are also going to be disrupted by robotic technology and AI; we already have that kind of technology at work in production lines especially in vehicle assembly. This same technology will move to the fast food environment," he asserts.

Wayne Houghton, director of Growth Implementation Solutions, Frost & Sullivan Africa, says by 2025, jobs which were commonplace in 2015 will no longer exist. He adds students graduating in 2016 will have obsolete qualifications for which there will no longer be a profession by 2025.

"Telemarketers, data entry capturers, tax preparers, lawyers, accountants, actuaries, statisticians and consulting engineers will be replaced with AI.

"Front-line military personnel will be replaced with robots while private bankers and wealth managers will be replaced with algorithm," Houghton points out.

Goldstuck agrees saying AI will lead to a crisis in the legal fraternity, as technology will replace the job of legal interns.

"Lawyers, I believe are the most threatened species of all, with AI you don't need an intern to pull out information through law books and case files. Automated systems will be used to source this information, integrate it, analyse it and dissect it into information which is needed by the senior attorney," he observes.

The manufacturing industry will also be massively disrupted by technology through the rise of 3D printing, says Goldstuck.

"As more and more people make use of 3D printers in their homes this means there will be less and less need of mass manufacturing of certain kinds of products. People will be able to download a design template of any product that can fit into a 3D printer from the Internet and assemble the parts at home," he elaborates.

He points out unless it requires precision and integration, a person will be able to produce almost any object from home.

AJ Hartenberg, portfolio manager: Data Centre Services at T-Systems SA, says the qualifications of the future should be focused on enabling people to be innovative and strategic about their careers. This innovation, he adds, should include elements such as passion, natural ability and inherent talents which should be further developed.

"People will need to focus on business enablement and develop their own career paths. The focus of the future job will be based on inherent talent and developing that into a profession. This will be augmented by AI and digital algorithms as industries will use these new mechanisms to develop new professions," observes Hartenberg.

He warns traditional university programmes will have to change or be changed, as they will become obsolete if not changed. The core focus should be on developing people from entry-level schooling.

Goldstuck says other jobs which will be replaced by AI include journalists and media planners. He warns parents to guide their children in choosing career paths which are less likely to be replaced by robots.

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