Can Robots Replace Humans?

This essay will explore the potential of robots to replace humans in various fields. It will discuss advancements in AI and robotics technology, potential benefits, and ethical considerations. The piece will analyze the balance between human labor and automation, considering both economic and social implications. At PapersOwl, you’ll also come across free essay samples that pertain to Artificial Intelligence.

How it works

25 years ago a blockbuster “Terminator” predicted to a humanity a war with robots. It was so convincing that many people have interpreted this story as the most likely forecast and a reason for serious fears. These days robots and artificial intelligence are far from the military confrontation with people or conscious capture of any systems. However, it is commonly believed that instead of taking our lives, robots will take our jobs. In his article ‘As Robots Threaten More Jobs, Human Skills Will Save Us’, Mohanbir Sawhney writes that according to Oxford University 47% of a US job market is at risk because of computerization.

Moreover, McKinsey Global Institute research predicts that ‘45% of job activities can be automated, and 30% of workers face the prospect that at least 60% of their work content can be done by machines.’ Although these records are very impressive, I believe that jobs are not at risk of being replaced by digital technology and robots because AI will create much more job positions than it eliminates; robots are not as clever as humans are; technology cannot replace the human touch.

Since the times of the First Industrial Revolution, there has been no precedent when the advancement of technology increased the level of unemployment. In his work ‘Capital’, Karl Marx predicted that mechanization would lead to a reduction in a labor market. At first glance, it seems that there is no doubt in the accuracy of his opinion: an automatic drilling machine can drill 400 holes per hour, unlike a person who can drill only 40. It means that one machine can replace ten people. However, something different has happened: the nature of employment has changed. For example, a percentage of employment in the U.S. in agriculture have decreased from 81% to 31% in 1910 over a hundred years. What is more, Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Stephen Hawking who predict massive unemployment because of machines, might also be wrong. Let’s look at the example with a drilling machine. If this new technology is able to replace 10 workers, then people will be required to produce drilling machines. Those who previously drilled holes manually will now produce machines. In addition, the machine will require steel. It must also be smelted by someone, etc. We have observed such processes throughout the history of humanity. For instance, the emergence of the car Model T by Ford has reduced the need for blacksmiths, but much more workforce was needed to build roads and make tires. Referring to the article ‘ Why Robots Will Not Take Over Human Jobs?’ by Andrew Arnold, a study from Gartner Research states that by 2020 around 1.8 million jobs will be lost and 2.3 million will be created. I believe, that robots will replace low-paying, boring, routine work and will create jobs positions that do not exist today. For instance, people who will construct robots, software developers, maintenance experts, etc. From my point of view, this change in a job market will help to improve the overall economy.

One more reason why machines cannot replace human jobs is that people are smarter than robots. Contrary to all programming achievements, robots did not become truly smart: they are still ‘cans’ with a narrow specialization. They do not know how to act according to circumstances, poorly adapted for work together with people, but they are coping with monotonous actions and maintain a perfect quality of work even after thousands of the same approaches. In other words, robots can only do particular tasks according to the algorithm. Andrew Arnold writes, ‘humans are in control and the technology providing what it is programmed to provide.’ In case of any deviations from ‘white and black ‘ AI will shift the decision to people. Everywhere, where robots have to deal with unpredictable people, the technology sooner or later fails. Even voice assistants instead of living professionals in the call center cannot become popular. Cellular operators continue to spend money on people who solve problems more effectively, than AI. What is more, self-driving cars have not become independent. They were stuffed with ultrasound, radar, and binocular sensors; they were taught to understand the driving rules, however, self-driving cars are still more dangerous on public roads than, for example, low-paid, without perfect vision and opportunity to see the road to all 180 degrees of public transport drivers.

Finally, as believed by Arnold, technology cannot replace the need for teamwork, leadership, creative thinking, problem-solving. Even when robots and AI will become much more powerful, there are still many things that are not able to do. For example, creativity, new ideas, exploration of the world, art, science, entertainment, caring for others. A robot would never become a psychologist, a musician, an artist or a singer. ‘Can a robot write a symphony? Can a robot turn a canvas into a beautiful masterpiece? questioned Will Smith in the movie ‘I, Robot’. I claim, that the answer is most likely no. In addition, people need each other. Performing a solution or analyzing data is a job for robots. But who will talk to people, helping to make the right decision? People still want to deal with a person in some instances.

owl

Cite this page

Can Robots Replace Humans?. (2021, Apr 26). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/can-robots-replace-humans/

"Can Robots Replace Humans?." PapersOwl.com , 26 Apr 2021, https://papersowl.com/examples/can-robots-replace-humans/

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Can Robots Replace Humans? . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/can-robots-replace-humans/ [Accessed: 31 Oct. 2024]

"Can Robots Replace Humans?." PapersOwl.com, Apr 26, 2021. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://papersowl.com/examples/can-robots-replace-humans/

"Can Robots Replace Humans?," PapersOwl.com , 26-Apr-2021. [Online]. Available: https://papersowl.com/examples/can-robots-replace-humans/. [Accessed: 31-Oct-2024]

PapersOwl.com. (2021). Can Robots Replace Humans? . [Online]. Available at: https://papersowl.com/examples/can-robots-replace-humans/ [Accessed: 31-Oct-2024]

Don't let plagiarism ruin your grade

Hire a writer to get a unique paper crafted to your needs.

owl

Our writers will help you fix any mistakes and get an A+!

Please check your inbox.

You can order an original essay written according to your instructions.

Trusted by over 1 million students worldwide

1. Tell Us Your Requirements

2. Pick your perfect writer

3. Get Your Paper and Pay

Hi! I'm Amy, your personal assistant!

Don't know where to start? Give me your paper requirements and I connect you to an academic expert.

short deadlines

100% Plagiarism-Free

Certified writers

EnglishGrammarSoft

Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans?

The question of whether robots can replace humans is a common topic for science fiction discussion, but there’s little actual information about how realistic that replacement would be. This essay addresses the practicality of robots replacing humans for certain tasks.

Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

Introduction.

Robots are becoming a common sight in our society. They have been helping us in many different fields including retail, manufacturing, medicine and even transportation. Robots can easily replace human workers because they are strong enough to do heavy lifting jobs and they can work twenty-four hours a day without any breaks.

But there is also another side of this issue which we must consider before thinking about replacing humans with robots: robots cannot feel emotions or think creatively like humans do so there will be some limitations for them as well.

The main disadvantage of the process is that people may become lazy because of their dependence on robots

The main disadvantage is that people may become lazy because of their dependence on robots. This will affect their motivation to work hard as they will be able to get whatever they want with the help of machines and hence, there will be no need for them to try hard in achieving something.

Another drawback is that people might not have any incentive for learning new things since everything is available at their fingertips just by pressing a button or making a voice command. As a result, there will be no reason for them to learn anything new because everything can be given away by robots easily.

Mostly humans are dependent on robots and hence would stop thinking independently and keep relying only on machines which doesn’t allow them taking decisions based on logic rather than emotions which might lead us into chaos due to lack of rationality among people leading towards social unrests and mass protests at least initially but later we might find better solutions through mutual cooperation between man & machine.”

Today, we have a new population that is anxious about the future

Some people believe that robots will replace humans in many jobs in the future. They think that robots are more efficient than human beings, so businesses should use them instead of hiring people to do those tasks. Other people believe that robots can help human beings by doing hard work for us or providing companionship when we need it most. Some people even think that robots will both replace and assist humans in different aspects of life as well as interact with each other!

A robot will do your homework for you

A robot can do your homework for you.

  • A robot can do your homework faster and better than you.
  • A robot can do your homework more accurately than you (and with fewer errors).
  • A robot will always get the right answer, but a human might not.
  • Some examples of robots doing homework are making coffee, mow lawn, and serve meal, etc.

In our digital era, some people think that automation and robotization might replace human jobs in near future

The first benefit of automation is that it can save time, thus adding value to the task at hand. This can also be combined with other tools for increased efficiency and accuracy. As an example, if you need to do a lot of research related activities such as searching for information from different websites or documents, then using an automated tool will make things easier for you as compared to doing everything manually.

Another benefit is that using an automated tool can help you reduce costs associated with performing the same tasks yourself since technology has become cheaper over time while its functionality has also increased significantly over time due to innovation in technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) systems which are able to learn from previous experiences instead of being programmed explicitly like traditional computer software applications were before them.

In recent decades, there has been a great deal of talk about robots taking over the world

In recent decades, there has been a great deal of talk about robots taking over the world. The idea is that artificial intelligence will become so advanced that machines will be able to think for themselves and make their own decisions. This means they’ll be able to do things without human input or control.

Robots are currently being used in many different industries. They are being used to do things that are dangerous for humans, such as exploring space or working in construction sites where there could be dangerous conditions like high temperatures or intense radiation levels. They’re also being used to do things that are repetitive and boring, such as operating assembly lines in factories or performing other menial tasks at home (e.g., vacuuming).

Finally, robots can perform complicated tasks too difficult for most people but fairly simple for computers—for example, writing software code.

It is true that artificial intelligence is developing very fast but it will not completely replace human beings in the foreseeable future

The reason for this is because robots are not capable of the same level of creativity as humans, and even if they were, some tasks are better performed by people rather than machines.

Let’s consider three strengths that robots do not have: creativity, empathy and social skills. Robots cannot be creative because they cannot think independently from what they have been programmed to do.

If you want a robot to come up with an original idea or product then you must program it yourself before giving it to them – but this process takes time and effort which may be wasted when your original idea fails or simply isn’t good enough. In other words, a robot can’t think outside the box like we can so if we want something creative then we should rely on ourselves instead!

It is true that artificial intelligence is developing very fast but it will not completely replace human beings in the foreseeable future. Robots are only good for doing a few things and we need humans to do other tasks. In conclusion, I would say that robots cannot replace human workers because they are not capable enough to perform all kinds of jobs.

Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

More on essays

  • How to Write an Essay | Structure of Essay (Comprehensive Guide)
  • Essay on Happiness is a State of Mind
  • Essay on Education
  • Essay on importance of education
  • Essay on online education
  • Essay on Knowledge is Power
  • Essay on Teaching Profession
  • Essay on Thank You Teacher
  • An Essay on School Life
  • Essay on Empathy for Students
  • Essay on Gratitude
  • Essay on Benefits of Reading
  • Essay on Library
  • Essay on Bullying in Schools
  • Essay on Friendship
  • Essay on Vacation
  • Essay on Goals in Life
  • Essay about Anxiety and Stress
  • Essay on Time Management
  • Essay on Value of Time
  • Essay on Resilience
  • Essay on 7 Cs of Communication
  • Essay on 8 Business Functions
  • Essay on Communication
  • Essay on Social Media and Its Impact
  • Essay on Personality Development
  • Essay on Leadership
  • Essay on Importance of water in life
  • Essay on Pollution
  • Essay on Environment Protection
  • Essay on Save Water
  • Essay on Corruption
  • Essay on Drug Addiction
  • Essay on Why Trees are Important in our Life
  • 500 Words Essay on Nature in English
  • Essay on Global Warming Causes and Effects
  • Essay on Deforestation
  • Essay on Smoking is bad for health
  • A Short Essay on Mothers Day
  • Essay on Health is Wealth

Similar Posts

An Essay on Importance of water in life (1000 words)

An Essay on Importance of water in life (1000 words)

Introduction Water is one of the most abundant substances on Earth and yet it takes a lot of work to obtain, purify, and distribute. Clean…

Essay on Benefits of Reading (1300 Words)

Essay on Benefits of Reading (1300 Words)

Reading helps our minds grow in ways that we can’t be taught in school or at home. No one is born with an innate love…

Essay on Save Water (1000+ words) Simple Ways To Conserve

Essay on Save Water (1000+ words) Simple Ways To Conserve

Saving water is vital to our planet. We must all do our part in conserving water because it is a finite resource. Water should be…

Essay About Climate Change (What are causes and what we can do to avoid it?)

Essay About Climate Change (What are causes and what we can do to avoid it?)

The world is changing. We can see it every day, and we know that something is happening. It’s not just the unusually hot days or…

Essay on Drug Addiction (1300 Words)

Essay on Drug Addiction (1300 Words)

Drug addiction is a brain illness that can lead to compulsive drug seeking and use despite the harm it causes the user and their loved…

Essay on Money: How money is important in our life? (1000 Words)

Essay on Money: How money is important in our life? (1000 Words)

Money is a wonderful invention of man. It is the power that helps people in earning and spending. Its importance can be understood by knowing…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Where machines could replace humans—and where they can’t (yet)

As automation technologies such as machine learning and robotics play an increasingly great role in everyday life, their potential effect on the workplace has, unsurprisingly, become a major focus of research and public concern. The discussion tends toward a Manichean guessing game: which jobs will or won’t be replaced by machines?

In fact, as our research has begun to show, the story is more nuanced. While automation will eliminate very few occupations entirely in the next decade, it will affect portions of almost all jobs to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the type of work they entail. Automation, now going beyond routine manufacturing activities, has the potential, as least with regard to its technical feasibility, to transform sectors such as healthcare and finance, which involve a substantial share of knowledge work.

These conclusions rest on our detailed analysis of 2,000-plus work activities for more than 800 occupations. Using data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*Net, we’ve quantified both the amount of time spent on these activities across the economy of the United States and the technical feasibility of automating each of them. The full results, forthcoming in early 2017, will include several other countries, 1 1. For interim insights on our core findings, see Michael Chui, James Manyika, and Mehdi Miremadi, “ Four fundamentals of workplace automation ,” McKinsey Quarterly , November 2015. but we released some initial findings late last year and are following up now with additional interim results.

Last year, we showed that currently demonstrated technologies could automate 45 percent of the activities people are paid to perform and that about 60 percent of all occupations could see 30 percent or more of their constituent activities automated, again with technologies available today. In this article, we examine the technical feasibility, using currently demonstrated technologies, of automating three groups of occupational activities: those that are highly susceptible, less susceptible, and least susceptible to automation. Within each category, we discuss the sectors and occupations where robots and other machines are most—and least—likely to serve as substitutes in activities humans currently perform. Toward the end of this article, we discuss how evolving technologies, such as natural-language generation, could change the outlook, as well as some implications for senior executives who lead increasingly automated enterprises.

Sector Automation

Download and print our poster on “Where machines could replace humans—and where they can’t (yet)”

Understanding automation potential.

In discussing automation, we refer to the potential that a given activity could be automated by adopting currently demonstrated technologies, that is to say, whether or not the automation of that activity is technically feasible . 2 2. We define “currently demonstrated technologies” as those that have already exhibited the level of performance and reliability needed to automate 1 or more of the 18 capabilities involved in carrying out work activities. In some cases, that level of performance has been demonstrated through commercially available products, in others through research projects. Each whole occupation is made up of multiple types of activities, each with varying degrees of technical feasibility. Exhibit 1 lists seven top-level groupings of activities we have identified. Occupations in retailing, for example, involve activities such as collecting or processing data, interacting with customers, and setting up merchandise displays (which we classify as physical movement in a predictable environment). Since all of these constituent activities have a different automation potential, we arrive at an overall estimate for the sector by examining the time workers spend on each of them during the workweek.

Technical feasibility is a necessary precondition for automation, but not a complete predictor that an activity will be automated. A second factor to consider is the cost of developing and deploying both the hardware and the software for automation. The cost of labor and related supply-and-demand dynamics represent a third factor: if workers are in abundant supply and significantly less expensive than automation, this could be a decisive argument against it. A fourth factor to consider is the benefits beyond labor substitution, including higher levels of output, better quality, and fewer errors. These are often larger than those of reducing labor costs. Regulatory and social-acceptance issues, such as the degree to which machines are acceptable in any particular setting, must also be weighed. A robot may, in theory, be able to replace some of the functions of a nurse, for example. But for now, the prospect that this might actually happen in a highly visible way could prove unpalatable for many patients, who expect human contact. The potential for automation to take hold in a sector or occupation reflects a subtle interplay between these factors and the trade-offs among them.

Even when machines do take over some human activities in an occupation, this does not necessarily spell the end of the jobs in that line of work. On the contrary, their number at times increases in occupations that have been partly automated, because overall demand for their remaining activities has continued to grow. For example, the large-scale deployment of bar-code scanners and associated point-of-sale systems in the United States in the 1980s reduced labor costs per store by an estimated 4.5 percent and the cost of the groceries consumers bought by 1.4 percent. 3 3. Emek Basker, “Change at the checkout: Tracing the impact of a process innovation,” The Journal of Industrial Economics , June 2015, Volume 63, Number 2, pp. 339–70. It also enabled a number of innovations, including increased promotions. But cashiers were still needed; in fact, their employment grew at an average rate of more than 2 percent between 1980 and 2013.

Would you like to learn more about the McKinsey Global Institute ?

The most automatable activities.

Almost one-fifth of the time spent in US workplaces involves performing physical activities or operating machinery in a predictable environment: workers carry out specific actions in well-known settings where changes are relatively easy to anticipate. Through the adaptation and adoption of currently available technologies, we estimate the technical feasibility of automating such activities at 78 percent, the highest of our seven top-level categories (Exhibit 2). Since predictable physical activities figure prominently in sectors such as manufacturing, food service and accommodations, and retailing, these are the most susceptible to automation based on technical considerations alone.

In manufacturing, for example, performing physical activities or operating machinery in a predictable environment represents one-third of the workers’ overall time. The activities range from packaging products to loading materials on production equipment to welding to maintaining equipment. Because of the prevalence of such predictable physical work, some 59 percent of all manufacturing activities could be automated, given technical considerations. The overall technical feasibility, however, masks considerable variance. Within manufacturing, 90 percent of what welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers do, for example, has the technical potential for automation, but for customer-service representatives that feasibility is below 30 percent. The potential varies among companies as well. Our work with manufacturers reveals a wide range of adoption levels—from companies with inconsistent or little use of automation all the way to quite sophisticated users.

Manufacturing, for all its technical potential, is only the second most readily automatable sector in the US economy. A service sector occupies the top spot: accommodations and food service, where almost half of all labor time involves predictable physical activities and the operation of machinery—including preparing, cooking, or serving food; cleaning food-preparation areas; preparing hot and cold beverages; and collecting dirty dishes. According to our analysis, 73 percent of the activities workers perform in food service and accommodations have the potential for automation, based on technical considerations.

Some of this potential is familiar. Automats, or automated cafeterias, for example, have long been in use. Now restaurants are testing new, more sophisticated concepts, like self-service ordering or even robotic servers. Solutions such as Momentum Machines’ hamburger-cooking robot, which can reportedly assemble and cook 360 burgers an hour, could automate a number of cooking and food-preparation activities. But while the technical potential for automating them might be high, the business case must take into account both the benefits and the costs of automation, as well as the labor-supply dynamics discussed earlier. For some of these activities, current wage rates are among the lowest in the United States, reflecting both the skills required and the size of the available labor supply. Since restaurant employees who cook earn an average of about $10 an hour, a business case based solely on reducing labor costs may be unconvincing.

Retailing is another sector with a high technical potential for automation. We estimate that 53 percent of its activities are automatable, though, as in manufacturing, much depends on the specific occupation within the sector. Retailers can take advantage of efficient, technology-driven stock management and logistics, for example. Packaging objects for shipping and stocking merchandise are among the most frequent physical activities in retailing, and they have a high technical potential for automation. So do maintaining records of sales, gathering customer or product information, and other data-collection activities. But retailing also requires cognitive and social skills. Advising customers which cuts of meat or what color shoes to buy requires judgment and emotional intelligence. We calculate that 47 percent of a retail salesperson’s activities have the technical potential to be automated—far less than the 86 percent possible for the sector’s bookkeepers, accountants, and auditing clerks.

As we noted above, however, just because an activity can be automated doesn’t mean that it will be—broader economic factors are at play. The jobs of bookkeepers, accountants, and auditing clerks, for example, require skills and training, so they are scarcer than basic cooks. But the activities they perform cost less to automate, requiring mostly software and a basic computer.

Considerations such as these have led to an observed tendency for higher rates of automation for activities common in some middle-skill jobs—for example, in data collection and data processing. As automation advances in capability, jobs involving higher skills will probably be automated at increasingly high rates.

The heat map in Exhibit 3 highlights the wide variation in how automation could play out, both in individual sectors and for different types of activities within them. 4 4. For a deeper look across all sectors in the US economy, please see the data representations from McKinsey on automation and US jobs, on public.tableau.com .

Activities and sectors in the middle range for automation

Across all occupations in the US economy, one-third of the time spent in the workplace involves collecting and processing data. Both activities have a technical potential for automation exceeding 60 percent. Long ago, many companies automated activities such as administering procurement, processing payrolls, calculating material-resource needs, generating invoices, and using bar codes to track flows of materials. But as technology progresses, computers are helping to increase the scale and quality of these activities. For example, a number of companies now offer solutions that automate entering paper and PDF invoices into computer systems or even processing loan applications. And it’s not just entry-level workers or low-wage clerks who collect and process data; people whose annual incomes exceed $200,000 spend some 31 percent of their time doing those things, as well.

Financial services and insurance provide one example of this phenomenon. The world of finance relies on professional expertise: stock traders and investment bankers live off their wits. Yet about 50 percent of the overall time of the workforce in finance and insurance is devoted to collecting and processing data, where the technical potential for automation is high. Insurance sales agents gather customer or product information and underwriters verify the accuracy of records. Securities and financial sales agents prepare sales or other contracts. Bank tellers verify the accuracy of financial data.

As a result, the financial sector has the technical potential to automate activities taking up 43 percent of its workers’ time. Once again, the potential is far higher for some occupations than for others. For example, we estimate that mortgage brokers spend as much as 90 percent of their time processing applications. Putting in place more sophisticated verification processes for documents and credit applications could reduce that proportion to just more than 60 percent. This would free up mortgage advisers to focus more of their time on advising clients rather than routine processing. Both the customer and the mortgage institution get greater value.

Other activities in the middle range of the technical potential for automation involve large amounts of physical activity or the operation of machinery in unpredictable environments. These types of activities make up a high proportion of the work in sectors such as farming, forestry, and construction and can be found in many other sectors as well.

Examples include operating a crane on a construction site, providing medical care as a first responder, collecting trash in public areas, setting up classroom materials and equipment, and making beds in hotel rooms. The latter two activities are unpredictable largely because the environment keeps changing. Schoolchildren leave bags, books, and coats in a seemingly random manner. Likewise, in a hotel room, different guests throw pillows in different places, may or may not leave clothing on their beds, and clutter up the floor space in different ways.

These activities, requiring greater flexibility than those in a predictable environment, are for now more difficult to automate with currently demonstrated technologies: their automation potential is 25 percent. Should technology advance to handle unpredictable environments with the same ease as predictable ones, the potential for automation would jump to 67 percent. Already, some activities in less predictable settings in farming and construction (such as evaluating the quality of crops, measuring materials, or translating blueprints into work requirements) are more susceptible to automation.

Activities with low technical potential for automation

The hardest activities to automate with currently available technologies are those that involve managing and developing people (9 percent automation potential) or that apply expertise to decision making, planning, or creative work (18 percent). These activities, often characterized as knowledge work, can be as varied as coding software, creating menus, or writing promotional materials. For now, computers do an excellent job with very well-defined activities, such as optimizing trucking routes, but humans still need to determine the proper goals, interpret results, or provide commonsense checks for solutions. The importance of human interaction is evident in two sectors that, so far, have a relatively low technical potential for automation: healthcare and education.

Automation by sector

Could a machine do your job?

Explore our comprehensive data set on Tableau Public.

Overall, healthcare has a technical potential for automation of about 36 percent, but the potential is lower for health professionals whose daily activities require expertise and direct contact with patients. For example, we estimate that less than 30 percent of a registered nurse’s activities could be automated, based on technical considerations alone. For dental hygienists, that proportion drops to 13 percent.

Nonetheless, some healthcare activities, including preparing food in hospitals and administering non-intravenous medications, could be automated if currently demonstrated technologies were adapted. Data collection, which also accounts for a significant amount of working time in the sector, could become more automated as well. Nursing assistants, for example, spend about two-thirds of their time collecting health information. Even some of the more complex activities that doctors perform, such as administering anesthesia during simple procedures or reading radiological scans, have the technical potential for automation.

Of all the sectors we have examined, the technical feasibility of automation is lowest in education, at least for now. To be sure, digital technology is transforming the field, as can be seen from the myriad classes and learning vehicles available online. Yet the essence of teaching is deep expertise and complex interactions with other people. Together, those two categories—the least automatable of the seven identified in the first exhibit—account for about one-half of the activities in the education sector.

Even so, 27 percent of the activities in education—primarily those that happen outside the classroom or on the sidelines—have the potential to be automated with demonstrated technologies. Janitors and cleaners, for example, clean and monitor building premises. Cooks prepare and serve school food. Administrative assistants maintain inventory records and personnel information. The automation of these data-collection and processing activities may help to reduce the growth of the administrative expenses of education and to lower its cost without affecting its quality.

Looking ahead

As technology develops, robotics and machine learning will make greater inroads into activities that today have only a low technical potential for automation. New techniques, for example, are enabling safer and more enhanced physical collaboration between robots and humans in what are now considered unpredictable environments. These developments could enable the automation of more activities in sectors such as construction. Artificial intelligence can be used to design components in engineer-heavy sectors.

One of the biggest technological breakthroughs would come if machines were to develop an understanding of natural language on par with median human performance—that is, if computers gained the ability to recognize the concepts in everyday communication between people. In retailing, such natural-language advances would increase the technical potential for automation from 53 percent of all labor time to 60 percent. In finance and insurance, the leap would be even greater, to 66 percent, from 43 percent. In healthcare, too, while we don’t believe currently demonstrated technologies could accomplish all of the activities needed to diagnose and treat patients, technology will become more capable over time. Robots may not be cleaning your teeth or teaching your children quite yet, but that doesn’t mean they won’t in the future.

As stated at the outset, though, simply considering the technical potential for automation is not enough to assess how much of it will occur in particular activities. The actual level will reflect the interplay of the technical potential, the benefits and costs (or the business case), the supply-and-demand dynamics of labor, and various regulatory and social factors related to acceptability.

Leading more automated enterprises

Automation could transform the workplace for everyone, including senior management. The rapid evolution of technology can make harnessing its potential and avoiding its pitfalls especially complex. In some industries, such as retailing, automation is already changing the nature of competition. E-commerce players, for example, compete with traditional retailers by using both physical automation (such as robots in warehouses) and the automation of knowledge work (including algorithms that alert shoppers to items they may want to buy). In mining, autonomous haulage systems that transport ore inside mines more safely and efficiently than human operators do could also deliver a step change in productivity.

Top executives will first and foremost need to identify where automation could transform their own organizations and then put a plan in place to migrate to new business processes enabled by automation. A heat map of potential automation activities within companies can help to guide, identify, and prioritize the potential processes and activities that could be transformed. As we have noted, the key question will be where and how to unlock value, given the cost of replacing human labor with machines. The majority of the benefits may come not from reducing labor costs but from raising productivity through fewer errors, higher output, and improved quality, safety, and speed.

It is never too early to prepare for the future. To get ready for automation’s advances tomorrow, executives must challenge themselves to understand the data and automation technologies on the horizon today. But more than data and technological savvy are required to capture value from automation. The greater challenges are the workforce and organizational changes that leaders will have to put in place as automation upends entire business processes, as well as the culture of organizations, which must learn to view automation as a reliable productivity lever. Senior leaders, for their part, will need to “let go” in ways that run counter to a century of organizational development. 5 5. See Martin Dewhurst and Paul Willmott, “ Manager and machine: The new leadership equation ,” McKinsey Quarterly , September 2014.

Understanding the activities that are most susceptible to automation from a technical perspective could provide a unique opportunity to rethink how workers engage with their jobs and how digital labor platforms can better connect individuals, teams, and projects. 6 6. See Aaron De Smet, Susan Lund, and William Schaninger, “ Organizing for the future ,” McKinsey Quarterly , January 2016., It could also inspire top managers to think about how many of their own activities could be better and more efficiently executed by machines, freeing up executive time to focus on the core competencies that no robot or algorithm can replace—as yet.

Could a machine do your job? Find out on Tableau Public , where we analyzed more than 800 occupations to assess the extent to which they could be automated using existing technology.

Michael Chui is a partner in McKinsey’s San Francisco office, where James Manyika is a senior partner; Mehdi Miremadi is a partner in the Chicago office.

The authors wish to thank Rick Cavolo for his contributions to this article.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

Machine-learning_1536x1536_Original

An executive’s guide to machine learning

q15_web_impact-of-automation-on-the-future-of-work_108203706_1536x1536_Original

Four fundamentals of workplace automation

thumb organizing-for-the-future_484287237_1536x1536_Standard

Organizing for the future

Logo

Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

Students are often asked to write an essay on Can Robots Replace Humans in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

Introduction.

Robots are machines that can perform tasks without human intervention. They are becoming more common in our daily lives. But can they replace humans?

Robots in Workplaces

Robots can do repetitive tasks quickly and accurately. They work in factories, hospitals, and even in space! They don’t get tired or sick.

Limitations of Robots

However, robots lack human emotions, creativity, and decision-making skills. They can’t understand or feel emotions like humans.

In conclusion, while robots can perform certain tasks better than humans, they cannot completely replace us because of their limitations.

250 Words Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

The advent of advanced technology has raised the question: Can robots replace humans? This question is multifaceted, involving aspects of economics, ethics, and the very nature of human existence.

Economic Considerations

Robots have already replaced humans in numerous sectors, particularly in manufacturing and assembly lines. The economic argument is compelling: robots don’t require rest, benefits, or salary, making them a cost-effective solution. However, the displacement of human labor could lead to widespread unemployment, creating a socio-economic crisis.

Ethical Implications

The ethical implications of robots replacing humans are profound. If robots take over, what becomes of human purpose and dignity? Additionally, the potential for misuse of robotic technology, such as in warfare or surveillance, is a concern that cannot be overlooked.

Limitations of Robotics

Despite their capabilities, robots lack the emotional intelligence, creativity, and adaptability of humans. They can’t replicate the human touch, which is essential in fields like healthcare, education, and the arts.

While robots can replace humans in certain tasks, they cannot replace the essence of being human. The challenge lies in leveraging the benefits of robotic technology without compromising human dignity and societal stability. Thus, rather than a replacement, robots should be viewed as tools that can enhance human capabilities and productivity.

500 Words Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

The dawn of the 21st century has brought about significant technological advancements, with robotics being one of the most prominent. Robots have made their way into various sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing, and even the service industry. This has sparked a debate on whether robots can replace humans. This essay explores the potential of robotics in taking over human tasks, the implications of such a shift, and the limitations that suggest human irreplaceability.

The Potential of Robotics

Robotics has shown immense potential in performing tasks that are repetitive, dangerous, or require high precision. In the manufacturing sector, robots have increased efficiency and productivity, reducing human error while performing monotonous tasks. In healthcare, robots are used for complex surgeries, allowing for precision that surpasses human capability. Furthermore, robots are not subject to fatigue, emotional stress, or illness, making them reliable for continuous operations.

The Implications of Robotics Replacing Humans

The increasing use of robots could have profound societal implications. Economically, robots could lead to significant job displacement. As robots take on more human tasks, the demand for human labor in certain sectors could decrease, leading to unemployment. However, this could also lead to the creation of new job sectors requiring skills in robotics and automation.

Socially, the replacement of humans by robots could lead to a loss of human interaction. In the service industry, for example, the human touch is often appreciated and can influence customer satisfaction. Robots, lacking emotions and empathy, might not provide the same level of service.

Despite the advancements in robotics, there are certain limitations that suggest humans cannot be entirely replaced. Robots lack creativity, emotional intelligence, and the ability to think critically. These are intrinsic human traits that cannot be replicated by machines. For instance, while a robot can be programmed to paint, it cannot create a masterpiece driven by emotion or a unique perspective.

Furthermore, ethical considerations come into play when considering the replacement of humans with robots. Questions about responsibility and accountability arise when robots make mistakes or when their actions have significant consequences.

In conclusion, while robots have the potential to replace humans in certain tasks, they are not likely to replace humans entirely. The limitations of robots and the implications of their widespread use suggest that a balance must be struck. The future likely lies in a collaboration between humans and robots, where robots perform tasks that they are best suited for, and humans focus on tasks requiring creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. This collaboration could lead to increased productivity and efficiency, while preserving the human elements that make our society unique.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

  • Essay on Can Plastic be Recycled
  • Essay on Can Money Buy Happiness
  • Essay on Can Computers Replace Teacher

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

Happy studying!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Is Artificial Intelligence Replacing Jobs? Here's The Truth

artificial-intelligence-replacing-jobs-feature

A robotic arm assembles an electronic calculator at the Convention on the Exchange of Overseas Talents in Guangzhou Image:  REUTERS/Stringer

.chakra .wef-spn4bz{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);cursor:pointer;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-spn4bz:hover,.chakra .wef-spn4bz[data-hover]{text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-spn4bz:focus-visible,.chakra .wef-spn4bz[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);} John Hawksworth

Automation is nothing new – machines have been replacing human workers at a gradual rate ever since the Industrial Revolution. This happened first in agriculture and skilled crafts like hand weaving, then in mass manufacturing and, in more recent decades, in many clerical tasks.

As the extra income generated by these technological advances has been recycled into the economy, new demand for human labour has been generated and there have, generally, still been plenty of jobs to go round.

But a new generation of smart machines, fuelled by rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, could potentially replace a large proportion of existing human jobs . While some new jobs would be created as in the past, the concern is there may not be enough of these to go round, particularly as the cost of smart machines falls over time and their capabilities increase.

Is artificial intelligence replacing jobs?

There is an element of truth in this argument, and indeed our own past research suggests that up to 30% of existing jobs across the OECD could be at potential risk of automation by the mid-2030s .

But this is not the whole truth for two main reasons, which we explore in detail in recent research published for the UK and a new report on China which will launch at the World Economic Forum’s meeting in Tianjin in September 2018 .

Firstly, just because a job has the technical potential to be automated does not mean this will definitely happen. There is a variety of economic, political, regulatory and organizational factors that could block or at least significantly delay automation. Based on our probabilistic risk analysis, our central estimate is that only around 20% of existing UK jobs may actually be displaced by AI and related technologies over the 20 years to 2037, rising to around 26% in China owing to the higher potential for automation there particularly in manufacturing and agriculture. We refer to this as the ‘displacement effect’.

Secondly, and more importantly, AI and related technologies will also boost economic growth and so create many additional job opportunities, just as other past waves of technological innovation have done from steam engines to computers. In particular, AI systems and robots will boost productivity, reduce costs and improve the quality and range of products that companies can produce.

Successful firms will boost profits as a result, much of which will be reinvested either in those companies or in other businesses by shareholders receiving dividends and realising capital gains. To stay competitive, firms will ultimately have to pass most of these benefits on to consumers in the form of lower (quality-adjusted) prices, which will have the effect of increasing real income levels. This means that households can buy more with their money and, as a result, firms will need to hire additional workers to respond to the extra demand. We refer to this as the income effect, which offsets the displacement effect on jobs.

is-artificial-intelligence-replacing-jobs

Our new research put some numbers on these job displacement and income effects for the UK, which we have found from past research is fairly typical of OECD economies as a whole; and China, the largest of the emerging economies.

artificial-intelligence-replacing-jobs-Estimated-displacement-graph

For the UK, the estimated net impact on jobs is broadly neutral, with around 7 million jobs (20%) projected to be displaced in our central scenario but a similar number of new jobs being created. More detailed analysis suggests significant net job gains in sectors like healthcare, where demand will rise due to an ageing population but where there are also limits to the scope for automation because of the continued need for a human touch. Significant job displacement in areas like manufacturing and, as driverless vehicles roll out across the economy, transport and logistics will offset these gains.

For China, there is an estimated negative net impact on agricultural employment, continuing a long-standing trend, more than offset by large increases in construction and services. As for the UK, healthcare will be one area with considerable potential for net job gains given China’s rapidly ageing population.

Estimated-net-effect-of-AI-on-jobs-by-industry

One result that might seem surprising is that the impact on jobs in China’s industrial sector is estimated to be broadly neutral. This reflects the fact that while there will be considerable scope for further automation in Chinese manufacturing as wages there rise, we also estimate that China will take the lead in manufacturing the AI-enhanced products (robots, driverless vehicles, drones etc) that will come out of this Fourth Industrial Revolution.

More generally, the huge boost to the Chinese economy from AI and related technologies, which we estimate could be more than 20% of GDP by 2030, will raise real incomes across the economy. This will create new demand for goods and services that will require additional human workers to produce, particularly in areas that are harder to automate.

No room for complacency – the challenge for government and business

While our estimates suggest that fears of mass technological unemployment are probably unfounded, this is not a recipe for complacency. As with past industrial revolutions, this latest one will bring considerable disruption to both labour markets and existing business models.

In China, we could see around 200 million existing jobs displaced over the next two decades, which will require workers to move to industry sectors and places where new jobs will be created. Of course, China has seen even larger movements of workers from the farms to the cities since the early 1980s, but the process will not be easy. Given China’s ageing population, an increase in immigration may be required to meet the demand for additional workers.

Have you read?

Two reasons computers won't destroy all the jobs, how new technologies can create huge numbers of meaningful jobs.

Both government and business have a role in maximizing the benefits from AI and related technologies while minimizing the costs. The latter will require increased investment in retraining workers for new careers, boosting their digital skills but also reframing the education system to focus on human skills that are less easy to automate: creativity, co-operation, personal communication, and managerial and entrepreneurial skills. Businesses too have a role to play in encouraging a culture of lifelong learning amongst their workers.

For government, AI will boost economic growth and, therefore, tax revenues. This should enable social safety nets, including state health and social care systems, to be strengthened for those who find it difficult to adjust to the new technologies. Such measures will be important if the huge potential benefits of AI and related technologies are to spread as widely as possible across society.

Read the full report: The net impact of AI and related technologies on jobs in China

Don't miss any update on this topic

Create a free account and access your personalized content collection with our latest publications and analyses.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Stay up to date:

Future of work, related topics:.

will robots replace humans essay

.chakra .wef-1v7zi92{margin-top:var(--chakra-space-base);margin-bottom:var(--chakra-space-base);line-height:var(--chakra-lineHeights-base);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-larger);}@media screen and (min-width: 56.5rem){.chakra .wef-1v7zi92{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-large);}} Explore and monitor how .chakra .wef-ugz4zj{margin-top:var(--chakra-space-base);margin-bottom:var(--chakra-space-base);line-height:var(--chakra-lineHeights-base);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-larger);color:var(--chakra-colors-yellow);}@media screen and (min-width: 56.5rem){.chakra .wef-ugz4zj{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-large);}} Future of Work is affecting economies, industries and global issues

A hand holding a looking glass by a lake

.chakra .wef-19044xk{margin-top:var(--chakra-space-base);margin-bottom:var(--chakra-space-base);line-height:var(--chakra-lineHeights-base);color:var(--chakra-colors-uplinkBlue);font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-larger);}@media screen and (min-width: 56.5rem){.chakra .wef-19044xk{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-large);}} Get involved with our crowdsourced digital platform to deliver impact at scale

The agenda .chakra .wef-dog8kz{margin-top:var(--chakra-space-base);margin-bottom:var(--chakra-space-base);line-height:var(--chakra-lineheights-base);font-weight:var(--chakra-fontweights-normal);} weekly.

A weekly update of the most important issues driving the global agenda

.chakra .wef-1dtnjt5{display:flex;align-items:center;flex-wrap:wrap;} More on Jobs and the Future of Work .chakra .wef-17xejub{flex:1;justify-self:stretch;align-self:stretch;} .chakra .wef-2sx2oi{display:inline-flex;vertical-align:middle;padding-inline-start:var(--chakra-space-1);padding-inline-end:var(--chakra-space-1);text-transform:uppercase;font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-smallest);border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-base);font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-bold);background:none;box-shadow:var(--badge-shadow);align-items:center;line-height:var(--chakra-lineHeights-short);letter-spacing:1.25px;padding:var(--chakra-space-0);white-space:normal;color:var(--chakra-colors-greyLight);box-decoration-break:clone;-webkit-box-decoration-break:clone;}@media screen and (min-width: 37.5rem){.chakra .wef-2sx2oi{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-smaller);}}@media screen and (min-width: 56.5rem){.chakra .wef-2sx2oi{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-base);}} See all

will robots replace humans essay

Convening with purpose: The roadmap to a sustainable workforce in advanced manufacturing

Stephanie Wright and Kerry Ebersole

October 29, 2024

will robots replace humans essay

4 ways workplaces can help bridge the gender care gap

will robots replace humans essay

How Japan is healing from its overwork crisis through innovation

will robots replace humans essay

Skills for the future: 4 ways to help workers transition to the digital economy

will robots replace humans essay

8 reasons why investing in employee health is good for people and business

will robots replace humans essay

How the sustainable growth of emerging markets hinges on the informal economy

Engnovate logo with text

Band 5+: Robots and artificial intelligence are being developed to replace humans in the workplace. Why is this happening ? Do you think this will have a positive or negative impact on society ?

In today’s Digital era, everything becomes advance. Nowadays many workplaces adopting robots and artificial intelligence for companies work. The enhancement in technology leads to fostering industries to use trading technology.However, this essay will explore both advantages and disadvantages of this technological shift in following paragraphs along with suitable conclusion.

On one hand, there is Plenty of benefit to operating companies with the help of robots. Firstly, This development at the workplace will increase efficiency. As robots perform tasks in a quick manner as compared to human.They also provide accurate work because machines basically work on algorithms,so, ultimately result in higher productivity. For example,human have only one skill or multiple skills but machine has numerous skills to execute any kind of task.Secondly, facilities to work 24/7 as robots do never tired or board with their job.For instance,one article showed mentioned that in USA Many organization are working twenty four/seven with the help of robots.

One the other hand, explaining drawback of same,due to advancement in technology and if work location are convert in machine based work that may lead unemployment for skill based workers.Moreover,if company prefer to work with the help of robots than regular maintenance is essential which is time taken process as well as it is very expensive.In addition,robot may harm organization in case of damage of any part of it or if inappropriate algorithm is execute.A very famous movie showed that robot is damage due to short-circuit and it started to perform past denied task.

To sum up, i believe a company needs to use the facilities of technology in a limited way as it has the same pros and

Check Your Own Essay On This Topic?

Generate a band-9 sample with your idea, overall band score, task response, coherence & cohesion, lexical resource, grammatical range & accuracy, essays on the same topic:, robots and artificial intelligence are being developed to replace humans in the workplace. why is this happening do you think this will have a positive or negative impact on society .

In recent years, the development of high technology has taken the place of some careers that people pursue progressively, and this trend is due to various reasons. From my own perspective, it is worth noting that there are both benefits and drawbacks to society. In this essay, I will demonstrate the advantages, disadvantages, and the […]

In resent years,development of high technology take place of some career that people do progressively, and this trend due to various of reasons. From my own perspective, it is worth noting that there are both benefits and drawbacks to society. In this essay, I will demonstrate the advantages, disadvantages and the reasons. This phenomenon caused […]

In recent years, it is believed that developing robots and artificial intelligence should be adapted to replace workers in the working environments. This writing will show the reason for happening of technological innovations and prove that its replacement is negative for society. With technological innovation, robots have become widely applied in the workforce, which enables […]

Utilizing robots as a part of our lives is something that raises a controversial arguments, especially for the future. The writer contends that robots will be used to replace manual works that is ordinarily done by humans with a higher efficiency. However, this development will become detrimental as it can create a shortage in employment. […]

Other Topics:

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement in the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying..

With the help of technological advancement, people will read books and newspapers on the internet without any cost. From my perception, I strongly agree with this statement, and I am going to explore the reasons to support my opinion. One the on hand, the internet is enriched with various kinds of books from various writers […]

The most important decision that young people have to follow is what career to choose. do you agree or disagree?

Some individuals opine that, every youth should choose their own profession, which they feel more comfortable. I completely agree with this statement because it helps them become more productive in a specific work place and is going to be more successful in future life. When a person selects any particular fields for their own choise, […]

In some countries, it is common for women to participate in the workforce when their children are young. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

In today’s scenario, it is very common for young mothers to work while their infants are still young. This has its pros and cons. In this essay, I will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this in the following paragraphs. To begin with, those women who choose to stay working after having a baby tend […]

Eventually, technology will solve the most important environmental problems the world faces today. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Latest technology is a lot of help in solving many environment-related problems easily affecting the world. People are living more safe and healthy lives because of new technology. I partially agree with this statement. Some reasons and answers are discussed in the following paragraphs. To commence with, technology has been more updated day by day. […]

Some people believe that professional workers such as doctors and teachers should be paid more than sports and entertainment personalities. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Some people think that professional workers such as doctors and teachers should get higher salaries than athletes and entertainers. From my point of view, I strongly disagree with this idea for many reasons, described in the following paragraphs. It is true to say that occupations like doctors and teachers play a crucial role in all […]

Plans & Pricing

AI Won’t Replace Humans — But Humans With AI Will Replace Humans Without AI

Summary .   .

Just as the internet has drastically lowered the cost of information transmission, AI will lower the cost of cognition. That’s according to Harvard Business School professor Karim Lakhani, who has been studying AI and machine learning in the workplace for years. As the public comes to expect companies that deliver seamless, AI-enhanced experiences and transactions, leaders need to embrace the technology, learn to harness its potential, and develop use cases for their businesses. “The places where you can apply it?” he says. “Well, where do you apply thinking?”

Partner Center

Home — Essay Samples — Information Science and Technology — Robots — The Possibility of Robots Taking Over Jobs of Humans

test_template

The Possibility of Robots Taking Over Jobs of Humans

  • Categories: Robots

About this sample

close

Words: 969 |

Published: May 7, 2019

Words: 969 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Are robots a curse or blessing, the economics of human replacement, are robots compliments or substitutes, works cited.

  • Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2019). Automation and new tasks: Implications for job quality. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 33(2), 3-30.
  • Autor, D. H. (2015). Why are there still so many jobs? The history and future of workplace automation. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 29(3), 3-30.
  • Brynjolfsson, E., & McAfee, A. (2014). The second machine age: Work, progress, and prosperity in a time of brilliant technologies. W. W. Norton & Company.
  • Ford, M. (2015). Rise of the robots: Technology and the threat of a jobless future. Basic Books.
  • Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. A. (2017). The future of employment: How susceptible are jobs to computerization? Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 114, 254-280.
  • Levy, F., & Murnane, R. J. (2012). The new division of labor: How computers are creating the next job market. Princeton University Press.
  • Mokyr, J. (2014). Secular stagnation? Not in your life. In R. E. Baldwin & C. Wyplosz (Eds.), The economics of secular stagnation (pp. 63-77). Centre for Economic Policy Research.
  • Moravec, H. (1988). Mind children: The future of robot and human intelligence. Harvard University Press.
  • Susskind, R., & Susskind, D. (2015). The future of the professions: How technology will transform the work of human experts. Oxford University Press.
  • World Economic Forum. (2020). The future of jobs report 2020. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2020

Image of Alex Wood

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

  • 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
  • Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

author

Verified writer

  • Expert in: Information Science and Technology

writer

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

2 pages / 1108 words

2 pages / 1062 words

3 pages / 1462 words

1 pages / 674 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

The Possibility of Robots Taking Over Jobs of Humans Essay

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Robots

Every innovation has one thing in common which is Information technology also known as IT. IT field has been acting as a revolution in the advancement of the entire world, which is involved in every field of work. every field [...]

“Do you like human beings?” Edward asked. “I love them” Sophia replied. “Why?” “I am not sure I understand why yet” The conversation above is from an interview for Business Insider between a journalist [...]

As technology continues to progress and new remarkable machines are becoming more common in the workplaces across the world, there is an increasing concern that these robot-like devices will become ubiquitous in our daily lives. [...]

This paper revolves around a conversation with the iPhone chatbot Siri. The primary focus of the paper is to look at the possibilities for Siri to be a social intelligent agent (SIA) or if the chatbot is not intelligent. To do [...]

Robotics means the revise and application of robot technology. Robotics is a field of engineering that consists of conception, pattern, manufacture, and operation of machines task for a particular high exactness and repetitive [...]

First of all before knowing what is bitcoin mining we have to know what a bitcoin is ? Bitcoin is basically a cryptocurrency which is intangible and exists only in cyberspace, well bitcoin mining is not like an ordinary gold or [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

  • Instructions Followed To The Letter
  • Deadlines Met At Every Stage
  • Unique And Plagiarism Free

will robots replace humans essay

Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities Essay

Introduction, technologies in the times of the covid-19, robots replacing humans in workplace, robots and ai in healthcare, threats and opportunities, new spheres of professional skills, works cited.

The problem of machines replacing human labor is vital not only in our perception of the present, where robots and artificial intelligence are gradually replacing humans. In fact, this situation can be traced in history for centuries. Many technologies are associated with the simplification of complex functions, and progress in this way has historically eliminated the need for one or another human labor. However, due to the digitalization and automation of many processes, the workforce began to be supplanted by computers even more intensively.

Additional worrisome prospects are observed precisely in the 2020s, when the pandemic that swept the world changed the rules of doing business and began to dictate its own rules. Due to the need for companies and industries to continue functioning, while people found themselves in a situation of needing to isolate themselves from each other, robots have replaced many workers. Automation of initially human work turned out to be not only safer based on the pandemic situation, but also proved to be more cost-effective. Many of the costs of complying with the isolation rules, the costs associated with the spread of the disease, can actually be offset by replacing the workforce with robots. Analysts predict robots could replace two million manufacturing workers by 2025 (Semuels). However, this data may be changed because the COVID-19 impact is hard to predict, understand, and analyze.

Robots are able to perform basic work at a high level due to a number of skills to be implemented as a part of their programs. As a rule, such work does not require specific social intelligence like emotional involvement or the manifestation of social and intellectual education (Partington). Artificial intelligence can be used to make automated calls, notifying the addressee or even providing automated assistance, and advice to a live interlocutor. Robots are gradually displacing the workforce in the textile and clothing industries, leaving a large number of the lower class in India out of work, unable to obtain other income. Automation is a rapidly evolving process in the service industry, as cashiers and waiters can potentially be supplanted by machines. The ongoing process of automation in the service sector has the potential to leave millions of people unemployed.

The use of robots in medicine has a long history, since robots performed the simplest operations back in the 1990s. However, at the moment, artificial intelligence can be used not only for performing mechanical physical labor. The mechanisms turn out to be able to solve intellectual problems using the loaded database for decision making. Algorithms designed to analyze medical history and establish a diagnosis and treatment strategy are already being actively implemented in hospitals. At the moment, the automatic diagnostic process can demonstrate itself as more reasonable and qualified than the conclusions of another medical worker, simply by virtue of the ability to process more information. Thus, the professions, like those of diagnostic doctors or nurse coordinators, can be easily replaced by an analytical program.

Many benefits and threats are usually associated with the implementation of robots in everyday activities. At the moment, it is claimed that more than 1.5 million rudimentary work tasks have been replaced with automated process execution by robots (Casey and Nzau). The threat of robots crowding out machine labor implies not only the loss of jobs, but also the impoverishment of certain classes of the population of countries. Workers who have lost the ability to provide for their families require state social support. The state can support the new volunteers of unemployment by providing financial assistance. However, more valuable would be the opportunity for emergency professional retraining that allows them to adapt to the new workspace. Modern reality implies certain flexibility of human labor skills; however, not everyone, being tied to their work, may be able to adapt to the coming robotic revolution. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the professions market, which, on the contrary, becomes open with the filling of the working environment with robots.

The loss of more unnecessary work positions does not necessarily mean that new jobs requiring new skills will not appear because of ongoing automation. Changes in manufacturing sectors mean the emergence of new professions that will be accordingly appreciated above the previous ones. Rethinking work strategies and implementing new production tactics developed and applied since the coronavirus era will also require new jobs. In general, the claim that robots generate more work than they eliminate seems to be right at this point. However, the work related to the maintenance of robotics and monitoring of machines still requires human control. The same applies to the maintenance and care of service systems in any area, from food to medical. Successful interaction between humans and robots will perhaps be even more appreciated. Also, the modern era, which is increasingly turning into its virtual analog, can offer new jobs in the field of technology, as well as in the development and use of cyber economics.

Employment opportunities of humans undergo multiple changes due to the implementation of robots in different spheres. It is hard to predict the impact of such interventions, but it is wrong to believe that these contributions are of a negative outcome only. It is fundamentally important that, in the foreseeable future, the state should spend as many resources as possible on the adaptation of vulnerable classes of the population to new technological conditions. In other words, people would get an opportunity to study new subjects and learn how to implement their technological knowledge in everyday practice. However, the impossibility of carrying out such programs would mean an impending economic catastrophe for an entire class of the population. Thus, government initiatives should provide a sufficiently suitable ground for training the unemployed in new skills, and this potential crisis can be overcome. New jobs will be added to provide a person with greater comfort since the work performed in a new, robotic world requires more mental than physical activity. In general, robots would increase employment opportunities from one perspective (more comfort and simplicity) but reduce some opportunities from another perspective (replacement of labor).

Casey, Marcus, and Sarah Nzau. “Robots Kill Jobs. But They Create Jobs, too.” Brookings , 2019, Web.

Partington, Richard. “Robots in Workplace ‘Could Create Double the Jobs They Destroy‘.” The Guardian , 2018, Web.

Semuels, Alina. “Millions of Americans Have Lost Jobs in the Pandemic.” Time , 2020, Web.

  • Robots: The Use in Everyday Tasks
  • Characteristics of Robotics
  • Robotics and Artificial Intelligence in Organizations
  • The Invento Robotics Products Analysis
  • Will Robots Take Over Human Jobs?
  • The Capstone Project: The Analysis of Uipath
  • Robotization and Employment: An Ethical Analysis
  • Robot Revolution in the Contemporary Society
  • Healthcare Robots: Entering the Era of a Technological Breakthrough
  • “A Robot Can Be Warehouse Worker’s Pal” by Jennifer Smith
  • Chicago (A-D)
  • Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2022, December 16). Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities. https://ivypanda.com/essays/robots-impact-and-human-employment-opportunities/

"Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities." IvyPanda , 16 Dec. 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/robots-impact-and-human-employment-opportunities/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities'. 16 December.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/robots-impact-and-human-employment-opportunities/.

1. IvyPanda . "Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/robots-impact-and-human-employment-opportunities/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Robots’ Impact and Human Employment Opportunities." December 16, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/robots-impact-and-human-employment-opportunities/.

  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy .

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy .

IMAGES

  1. Will Robots Reduce or Increase Human Employment Opportunities?

    will robots replace humans essay

  2. Will Robots and Artificial Intelligence replace Human jobs by 2030?

    will robots replace humans essay

  3. Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans?

    will robots replace humans essay

  4. Technology: Will Robots Ever Replace Humans?

    will robots replace humans essay

  5. Will Robots Ever Replace Humans?

    will robots replace humans essay

  6. Will artificial intelligence replace humans essay?

    will robots replace humans essay

VIDEO

  1. Will Robots Replace Human Workforce

  2. Will Robots Replace Humans And Take Our Jobs?

  3. Will Robots and Artificial Intelligence replace Human jobs by 2030?

  4. Will robots take our jobs?

  5. The Future of Work: Will Robots Replace Humans by 2040?

  6. Will robots replace humans?

COMMENTS

  1. Will Robots Ever Replace Humans?

    One of the main aspects of today's living is the fact that, as time goes on, more and more people grow increasingly concerned about the possibility for robots (endowed with artificial intelligence) to eventually replace humans, as the next step of evolution. There is, however, much of a controversy to the issue in question - whereas, some ...

  2. The Rise Of Artificial Intelligence: Will Robots Actually Replace People?

    This latter half believes that while AI will replace humans, these experts have faith in human ingenuity to create new jobs, industries, and new ways of making a living—much like at the dawn of ...

  3. Can Robots Replace Humans?

    This essay will explore the potential of robots to replace humans in various fields. It will discuss advancements in AI and robotics technology, potential benefits, and ethical considerations. The piece will analyze the balance between human labor and automation, considering both economic and social implications.

  4. Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans?

    Introduction. Robots are becoming a common sight in our society. They have been helping us in many different fields including retail, manufacturing, medicine and even transportation. Robots can easily replace human workers because they are strong enough to do heavy lifting jobs and they can work twenty-four hours a day without any breaks.

  5. Where machines could replace humans—and where they can't (yet)

    Within each category, we discuss the sectors and occupations where robots and other machines are most—and least—likely to serve as substitutes in activities humans currently perform. Toward the end of this article, we discuss how evolving technologies, such as natural-language generation, could change the outlook, as well as some ...

  6. AI Should Augment Human Intelligence, Not Replace It

    Will smart machines really replace human workers? Probably not. People and AI both bring different abilities and strengths to the table. The real question is: how can human intelligence work with ...

  7. Why Artificial Intelligence Will Not Replace Human in Near Future? Essay

    Another important reason why AI will not be able to replace humans is what is known as emotional intelligence. The human's ability to respond to a situation quickly with innovative ideas and empathy is unparalleled, and it cannot be replicated by any computer on the planet. According to Beck and Libert's (2017) article in Harvard Business ...

  8. Why Robots Won't Steal Your Job

    March 19, 2021. Westend61/Getty Images. Summary. According to the World Economic Forum Future of Jobs Report 2020, 85 million jobs may be displaced by the shift in labor between humans and ...

  9. What Happens to Society When Robots Replace Workers?

    Facing the consequences of maximum efficiency. William H. Davidow A high-technology industry executive and a venture investor for more than 30 years, Bill Davidow continues to act as an active ...

  10. Essay on Can Robots Replace Humans

    Conclusion. While robots can replace humans in certain tasks, they cannot replace the essence of being human. The challenge lies in leveraging the benefits of robotic technology without compromising human dignity and societal stability. Thus, rather than a replacement, robots should be viewed as tools that can enhance human capabilities and ...

  11. Discussion: Will Robots Replace Us?

    Thus, people should not expect the complete replacement of humans with robots in the near future. Although it significantly simplifies people's lives, artificial intelligence is still not capable of doing, for example, solely creative or managerial work. Moreover, there are such professions in which robotization is impossible or unreasonable.

  12. Robots Vs Humans: Essay

    Robots Vs Humans: Essay. This essay sample was donated by a student to help the academic community. Papers provided by EduBirdie writers usually outdo students' samples. In the pursuit of the perfect world, where everyone will be happy with smart technologies because machines will do all the hard work instead of us, we risk complicating our lives.

  13. Is Artificial Intelligence Replacing Jobs? Here's The Truth

    But a new generation of smart machines, fuelled by rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, could potentially replace a large proportion of existing human jobs. While some new jobs would be created as in the past, the concern is there may not be enough of these to go round, particularly as the cost of smart machines falls ...

  14. Will Robots Replace Human Employment? Essay

    For instance, now accountants, laborers of construction, farmers, housekeepers, and chauffeurs are worrying about losing their jobs due to robotics "Up to 20 million manufacturing jobs around the world could be replaced by robots by 2030" (Oxford Economics, 2019). So, this will decrease laborer wages and increase the rate of unemployment in ...

  15. Band 5: Robots and artificial intelligence are being developed to

    Utilizing robots as a part of our lives is something that raises a controversial arguments, especially for the future. The writer contends that robots will be used to replace manual works that is ordinarily done by humans with a higher efficiency. However, this development will become detrimental as it can create a shortage in employment.

  16. Robots and Ai Will Replace Most Human Work: a Discussion

    Robots and Ai Will Replace Most Human Work: a Discussion. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a new technology to support human work on multi-area, it also could replace human on many physical works in society by mechanic arm or body. AI is defending as machine intelligence, which is intelligence exhibited by machines made by humans, it has similar ...

  17. Robots Can't Replace Human Free Essay Example

    Robots have no ability to think. For example, Toyota, a famous car company, has embraced automation and replaced human with robots for years. However, they have strong evidence that hiring human can reduce waste in crankshaft production by 10%, which also helped shorten the production line. As we know, robots only repeat the same task all the ...

  18. AI Won't Replace Humans

    The first step business leaders must take is to experiment, create sandboxes, run internal bootcamps, and develop AI use cases not just for technology workers, but for all employees.

  19. The Possibility of Robots Taking Over Jobs of Humans

    The invention and use of robots will take human jobs because its aim is to replace the human mind, not simply make industry more efficient. The lucrative business incentives such as high output, efficiency, and quality offered by robots are driving so many employers away from human labor. Even so, some experts have argued that these assembled ...

  20. Robots' Impact and Human Employment Opportunities Essay

    Employment opportunities of humans undergo multiple changes due to the implementation of robots in different spheres. It is hard to predict the impact of such interventions, but it is wrong to believe that these contributions are of a negative outcome only. It is fundamentally important that, in the foreseeable future, the state should spend as ...

  21. Tesla CEO Elon Musk Predicts Robots to Outnumber Humans by 2040

    Image: Shutterstock. Imagine a world where humanoid robots outnumber people—this a reality Tesla CEO Elon Musk said we'll see by the year 2040. Musk's prediction came during the annual Future Investment Initiative conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday. "I think by 2040 probably there are more humanoid robots than there are people ...