Nearly 8 million jobs in the UK could be lost to artificial intelligence (AI), leading to a “jobs apocalypse”, with women, younger workers and lower-paid workers facing the most risk from increasing job automation, according to a report by The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Should we be concerned or is this an opportunity to upskill into a more fulfilling career?
To get some top insights on future careers, we meet Ed Johnson, CEO and Co-Founder of PushFar, one of the world’s leading mentoring career and progression platforms, to get his view. Hello Ed, thanks for joining us!
Career Taster: AI is seen as the great technological revolution and it is expected to eliminate many jobs & reduce the hours/compensation of certain jobs.
Should a typical worker be concerned or excited about AI?
Ed: There’s no denying that we’ve seen a huge increase in awareness around the use and opportunities AI presents, and I think the world is very much still in an adjustment phase when it comes to fully understanding it and how it should be applied in the workplace.
When it comes to whether people should be concerned or excited, I would say right now, AI is something we should embrace as an addition, rather than a replacement to our roles, as it’s very possible it will enable us to become even better at our jobs. It should be viewed as a resource and whilst it is incredibly impressive, I don’t think that AI will ever be able to replace the humanistic traits that are at the core of most job roles. A lot of discussions I’m seeing happening are actually around automation, rather than AI. Automation is nothing new but prompting it to happen is a good thing.
Career Taster: Studies have said automated low-skilled jobs will be the first to go. The IPPR think tank warned that the UK was facing a “sliding doors” moment as huge companies adopt AI technologies – which can read and create text, data and software code – to automate everyday workplace tasks.
Which careers would you expect to go into in the next few years due to AI?
Ed: Of course, there will be some industries which will become reliant on AI over time. I think the first area in which I’d expect to see it have a real impact is administration roles. The technology can learn a system and then abide by that, so you could see how this would be useful in many offices when it comes to things like scheduling meetings or planning diaries. However, as I say, I still believe human input will be needed in this as there are a lot of contexts that AI can easily miss which can have a massive impact on the success of a job like that.
Data roles may also see an increase in AI input, however, the reviewing and application of the data, very much still needs human input, so whilst analysis may become more efficient, and sometimes more accurate, there needs to be consideration for things such as bias or context.
How might AI change the nature of people’s work in the future?
Ed:I think the majority of people will undoubtedly change how they work as AI becomes more prevalent and involved in day-to-day life. We may see AI take care of the more basic admin tasks to a certain degree like answering emails or planning meeting agendas, to allow for focusing on different areas of work.
What skills should you learn and improve upon over the coming years to future-proof your career?
Ed: would say creative thinking and innovative skills first and foremost. Whilst AI will be able to resolve and assist with so many things, I don’t think it will ever be able to truly capture the ability to think creatively in the same way humans do. So I think that’s what will always separate us ultimately.
CareerTaster: Some future careers are expected to be Data Analysts, Cybersecurity experts, Artificial Food ethicists, Space pilots, Synthetic food designers even Extinct Species revivalists (Jurassic Park could become a real-life possibility, scary and intriguing).
What careers would you expect to take off?
Ed: I could see significant further development of Data Analyst roles and Artificial Food Ethicist as we continue to become more aware of what is the right way to do things in society. As for Extinct Species Revivalist, that sounds like an incredible role which I would love to see, even if it does scare me a little! I could imagine AI introducing an enhanced content creation role that would add a lot to production in both social media as well as film and TV.
How important is gaining mentoring and coaching in guiding you through career changes during this unique period in history?
Ed: It can be an incredibly unsettling time experiencing change on a mass scale, and understandably a lot of people are feeling anxious about the rapid expansion and development of AI. I think having a mentor can be a great point of call for guidance through these times as it allows you to reflect on what your strengths and development areas are and provide a sounding board for career decisions.
With the expectation of robot therapists and even robot/AI romantic partners, would you expect some of your new mentor recruits to be robots or to remain fully human?
Ed: At the moment, we only know and understand the right way to mentor humans, so if robots were introduced into mentoring, I think it would require an entirely different approach. Ultimately, mentoring is about humans talking to humans, and sharing their real-life experiences, and while AI could pull from multiple sources to provide an answer, I still think the personal aspect of speaking to another person will be vital in the mentoring sector.
For career switchers and those entering the workforce, what final tips would you give to them to future-proof their careers?
Ed: Always continue to think of ways to stand yourself out. It’s a message that has been around for a while and I still believe that it will be true in 2040 too. For more information on PushFar and details on Ed, go to EdJohnson.co.uk