The Robots Are Coming! Summary

By 2033, nearly half of current jobs in the U.S. could vanish due to automation. Are you ready for the challenge?

1. Factory floors are trading human workers for robots.

Industrial robots were introduced in the 1960s, yet factories worldwide remained dependent on human workers. This dynamic is shifting fast due to technological advances. In China, manufacturing facilities increasingly use robots, moving toward fully automated operations. For instance, a smartphone factory in Dongguan reduced its human workforce from 650 to just 60 workers. Automation is quickly transforming manufacturing into an algorithm-driven domain.

Four reasons fuel this transition: robots are becoming more cost-effective; Chinese wages are rising; robots work faster, longer, and more accurately than humans; and companies in the West might decide to automate locally to cut shipping costs. The mix of these factors is driving China's push toward automation under its "Made in China 2025" plan.

The implications are widespread. The World Bank predicts that 77% of jobs in China, particularly manufacturing ones, are at risk. But it won't stop there. As robots dominate production lines, the character of global industries will continue to shift toward automated efficiency.

Examples

• Dongguan's smartphone factory dramatically cut its human workforce in favor of robots.
• Industrial robot numbers in China surged from 189,000 in 2014 to projections of 726,000 in 2019.
• Xi Jinping's "Made in China 2025" plan heralds a robotic revolution to maintain competitiveness.

2. Self-driving technology disrupts transport jobs.

The transportation sector is on the verge of transformation, with self-driving vehicles emerging as a force of change. Autonomous trucks, which may make up one-third of U.S. trucks by 2025, promise efficiency but threaten to leave the industry's 3.5 million drivers jobless. At first, such technologies will dominate highways. Over time, they will evolve to cover city streets as well.

Companies like Uber and Lyft are already testing self-driving taxis, while delivery services explore drones and autonomous delivery vehicles. Amazon, FedEx, and Domino's are adopting systems to reduce reliance on human drivers.

Advances in sensors and AI have facilitated these developments. Today's vehicles can handle unexpected events like animals on dark roads with minimal human intervention, a trend headed toward near-complete automation.

Examples

• Uber acquired Otto to develop autonomous truck technology.
• Amazon and Domino’s are testing package delivery drones and self-driving delivery vehicles.
• Ehang’s flying taxis are operational in Dubai, signaling future urban transport solutions.

3. Brick-and-mortar stores shrink as automated alternatives rise.

Retail is transforming as e-commerce overtakes physical stores, erasing millions of traditional retail jobs. In early 2017 alone, stores like Macy’s and Radio Shack shut hundreds of U.S. locations. Millions of jobs in sales, cashiering, and stocking are now threatened as companies like Amazon streamline shopping with algorithms and automated warehouses.

Online giants continue developing self-checkout innovations and autonomous delivery systems. Amazon’s delivery drones and Lowe’s robo-assistants serve as leading examples of how retail jobs are less about human employees and increasingly about automated efficiency.

Restaurants face a parallel trend. From touch screens replacing waiters to robots cooking pizza, automation is displacing roles traditionally filled by humans. Robots in chains like Zume Pizza are drastically cutting labor demands, accelerating the industry's shift.

Examples

• Amazon warehouses increasingly use robots for inventory picking and shipping tasks.
• Lowe’s deployed LoweBots to guide customers and track inventory.
• Touch screens at McDonald's and robots at Zume Pizza reduce staffing needs.

4. Legal professionals are not immune to automation.

Robots aren’t just impacting service and factory jobs. Even the legal profession, thought to be relatively safe due to its complexity, is undergoing radical change. Online platforms like RocketLawyer and LegalZoom now handle routine legal documentation with algorithms, reducing the need for paralegals and junior attorneys.

Automation is also taking on higher-level tasks. Ross, a legal-focused AI developed by IBM’s Watson, processes thousands of documents and makes efficient decisions about case relevance. With software replacing repetitive tasks like document review, lawyers can focus on unique aspects of their work.

Although such tools are causing job reductions, they also make legal services more accessible. This democratization enables lower-income groups to afford assistance previously reserved for wealthier individuals.

Examples

• RocketLawyer and LegalZoom handle contracts, wills, and agreements with user-friendly systems.
• BakerHostetler law firm hired the AI-based Ross as a "robotic lawyer."
• In the U.K., law-related job losses due to automation reached 31,000, with many more predicted.

5. Banking fades away from physical branches.

The rise of cashless transactions is slashing the need for traditional bank branches. Customers update accounts, transfer funds, and deposit checks via apps, replacing the functions of human tellers. Meanwhile, ATMs substitute for many simple services requiring tellers.

Automation also emerges in investment banks like JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, where algorithms now handle complex financial analysis faster and better than humans. With branches closing and analysts replaced, up to half of all banking jobs in developed countries could disappear within a decade.

Online-only banks are thriving in this new environment. Companies like Schwab.com and Robinhood operate almost exclusively with automated systems, reflecting the shift toward virtual financial services.

Examples

• JPMorgan Chase employs more tech workers than Facebook and Twitter combined.
• ATMs reduce reliance on bank tellers, a push started decades ago.
• Robinhood delivers financial services to millions with minimal human labor.

6. Robots are treating and diagnosing diseases.

Automated technologies are entering healthcare too, performing many functions traditionally reserved for doctors and nurses. Supercomputers like IBM’s Watson now examine symptoms and suggest treatments. Devices such as Fitbit and smartphones monitor health metrics, allowing users to remain informed about potential issues.

Surgery is becoming automated as well. Mazor Robotics' systems perform intricate spinal surgeries, while nano-bots by Microbot Medical are designed to clean arteries and address blockages. Such technologies are enhancing treatment precision but reducing reliance on human practitioners.

As automation takes over more routine medical functions, healthcare workers increasingly act as mediators—helping patients navigate diagnoses provided by machines.

Examples

• Watson aids in cancer diagnoses at various hospitals.
• Mazor Robotics performed 25,000 spinal surgeries by 2017.
• Microbot Medical’s nano-bots promise breakthroughs in treating vascular conditions.

7. Automation reshapes teaching, not eliminates it.

Education is adapting to automation as robots like “Professor Einstein” emerge to address routine educational demands. These robots answer questions persistently and provide interactive, on-demand learning. As technology advances, such tools will play an increasing role in knowledge delivery.

This change will allow human teachers to focus more on nurturing "soft skills” such as problem-solving and empathy. With the potential for VR tools, educators could adopt immersive teaching methods, offering students unparalleled learning experiences.

Automation in teaching doesn’t replace educators entirely but changes where their efforts are directed. Their role transitions to one of fostering curiosity and helping students explore innovative ways to learn.

Examples

• “Professor Einstein” delivers accessible scientific lessons but still struggles with technical glitches.
• VR headsets, like Oculus, promise to make experiential learning widely available.
• Teachers can guide students through future immersive environments, from galaxies to historical events.

8. Journalism embraces automation and AI tools.

AI programs are aiding journalism by taking over routine tasks. AI such as Heliograf at The Washington Post fills templates with election data, freeing journalists to focus on more investigative or narrative work. Programs like this are becoming essential in modern newsrooms.

Automation is also boosting investigative power. Systems that analyze massive data sets, like those used in the Panama Papers leak, highlight quickly what would take journalists weeks to uncover. Future iterations will further enhance these abilities, saving time and enabling unprecedented insights.

Despite automation, journalists remain needed for creative, deep-dive stories that AI cannot replicate.

Examples

• The Washington Post used Heliograf to report on 500 election races in 2016.
• The Panama Papers investigation utilized searchable AI databases.
• AI tools help trace connections in financial leaks, augmenting journalistic depth.

9. Entertainment and creative fields see a surge.

With automation reducing work hours and mass unemployment expected, people will spend more time on entertainment. Virtual reality, video games, and streaming services are poised to thrive in this new economy. Industry growth will lead to increased jobs for artists, programmers, and creatives.

This free time renaissance will boost live arts, interactive technologies, and experimental storytelling. As VR evolves, experiences may bypass limitations of current formats, creating opportunities for entirely untapped industries.

Cultural and creative employees will help fill the gap left by vanishing manual jobs, contributing to enriched lives and leisure-demand economies.

Examples

• Facebook invested $2 billion in Oculus VR to develop immersive content.
• Entertainment employs over 29 million globally, outpacing the automotive sector.
• Popular artists embrace VR platforms to host concerts and events.

Takeaways

1. Develop flexible skills to adapt to automation's impact, from technical know-how to creative or emotional intelligence.
2. Embrace lifelong learning to stay competitive, focusing on areas like AI, healthcare tech, or creative production.
3. Prepare for the changes by diversifying activities—explore new hobbies, industries, and creative outlets as free time increases.