5 Jobs That Will Be Handled or Helped by Automation in the Next Decade

Technology is constantly changing, but the recent announcements of a humanoid robot that can perform the tasks of a retail employee or AI programs like ChatGPT and Bard that can write (sort of) like a human have created quite a buzz in the past six months. These new advances have left people wondering what the AI-infused job market will look like.

Some predictions have been dire. CNN recently reported that there will be a net loss of 14 million jobs by 2027, which is about 2% of the current employment number.

Understanding how automation will impact the job market is essential for those looking to keep their skills up to date.

Here are five specific jobs that will see an impact from automation over the next ten years and strategies for people in these fields to consider as we move into this new tech era.

1. Customer Service Representatives

A few minutes in an online customer service chat makes it clear that you’re usually talking with a bot at first, not a person. Since most customer problems are repetitive, a bot can quickly answer common questions or funnel the person to a human customer service professional if the automated answers aren’t sufficient.

The abilities of these CSR AI programs will improve in the coming years, freeing human customer service professionals to focus on less frequently asked questions and concerns.

Advancements here may lessen the number of total chat-based CSR agents needed, but they can also streamline and improve the industry.

2. Healthcare Tech

Healthcare has made the move to electronic medical records over the last decade, and now automation is coming into play in that record keeping.

Automation in scheduling, billing, and data handling is already in place, but in the next decade, you can expect to see machine learning introduced to streamline healthcare operations.

Automation can reduce wait times by:

• Helping staff prioritize the most at-risk patients

• Allowing patients to check in on their own

• Providing options for checking in at home instead of waiting in the waiting room

The healthcare industry will increasingly turn to applications and services that help them analyze historical data to predict staffing needs during flu outbreaks. We’re even seeing the advent of robotic doctors who perform surgeries with less risk of human error.

3. Delivery Services

We aren’t quite to the point where drones will handle all deliveries, but the change is beginning in major cities where traffic is a concern. The future of courier and delivery services will likely be drone-based.

Today, automation is already in place to assist with tracking deliveries or scheduling them. Supply chain and logistics functions now have sophisticated AI systems to help with automation, and we expect these developments to continue.

4. Manufacturing and Pharmaceutical Work

Jobs in both the manufacturing and pharmaceutical world will see significant impacts from automation. Robots can now perform the majority of work in factories, requiring human oversight but fewer human workers.

Pharmaceutical labs are using AI to increase the speed at which they can discover more effective treatments, too.

5. Information Gathering, Analysts, and Researchers

AI is quite adept at organizing and analyzing data. ChatGPT has shown that it’s also good at gathering information. Those in the research and analytics fields will need to adapt. AI can’t replace human intellect and wisdom, but learning to use AI to work more efficiently will be essential in these fields.

If your industry is on this list, it’s time to start considering how you will pivot or adapt. Automation will eliminate some positions in these fields, and those who remain employed must learn how to work with robots and AI to do their jobs more efficiently.

But by understanding these changes—along with what AI can and can’t do thus far—you can position yourself for success in an automated future.