How ROBOTS are going to steal millions of jobs from hardworking Brits over the next 20 years…but it might not be ALL bad
IF you are sitting at your desk, taking a break on the building site or finishing your taxi driving shift, stop for a second and think - could a robot do my job better?
While the fear of losing your job to a machine is often laughed off as something that will only happen far in the future, or in a sci-fi film, it’s actually happening right now.
Experts believe a world filled with robot-built skyscrapers, self-driving cars and robot nurses may be a reality in the next 20 years.
This means the jobs of millions of hard-working Brits could be at risk, especially if you are a builder, taxi driver, factory worker, healthcare professional or even a bartender.
Oxford University academics predict 35 per cent of existing UK jobs will be done by robots in the next 20 years.
And just this week, French politicians said they want to introduce £650 monthly handouts to every adult in the country over fears robots will take three million jobs.
But it’s not all doom and gloom, as , Professor of Robotics at the University of Edinburgh, says we should not fear the robot revolution.
“We should not think of robots stealing jobs, rather they will help us to do things cheaper, better and safer,” he told SunOnline.
“The key is that we must work together. Thanks to robots we will go into new areas we’ve not done before, so we will create new industries and more jobs.”
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Professor Vijayakuma, who is also a judge on Robot Wars, said the jobs most at risk are “mundane, repetitive, easily classified and requiring precision”.
So as blue-collar jobs of the future become more technologically sophisticated, workers will need to adapt quickly to take on supervisory roles at executive levels.
"Robots are good at precise actions but less good at sophisticated tasks," he said.
“People will need to re-skill to do jobs at a more supervisory, high level. So if something goes wrong, you can detect and fix it.”
Research from Oxford University supports this view, with Dr Michael Osborne suggesting workers will start doing tasks that need "social intelligence".
“Our findings imply that as technology races ahead, low-skilled workers will move to tasks that are not susceptible to computerisation," he said,
"This includes tasks that require creative and social intelligence.
“For workers to win the race, however, they will have to acquire creative and social skills.”
WHICH JOBS ARE MOST AT RISK?
BUILDERS
Skyscrapers, shopping centres and homes could soon be built by robots rather than humans, experts have warned.
This could place the jobs of the 2.3million people employed by the construction industry in the UK at risk.
Alison Carnwath, the chairman of Land Securities, said the pace of change has taken her by surprise.
“We’re moving into the era of the robots,” she told the Institute of Directors’ annual convention.
“Five years ago I’d have smiled wryly if somebody had said to me that robots would be able to put up buildings in the City of London – I tell you we’re not that far off, and that has huge implications.”
TAXI DRIVERS
The era of self-driving cars is coming -the only question is who will get there first?
Uber, Google and Tesla Motors are in a race with around 20 other companies to build the first safe self-driving car.
This places the livelihoods of thousands of black cab and taxi drivers at risk – along with Uber drivers.
Car companies have claimed the first completely self-driving cars will be on Britain’s roads within the next five years.
And research by BI Intelligence predicts there will be 10 million autonomous cars on the roads by 2020.
But despite this, Steve McNamara, head of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, insisted driverless cars were not an “imminent threat”.
“We don’t see driverless vehicles as an imminent threat to the black cab trade,” he told SunOnline.
“There is clearly a long way to go before this technology becomes a truly viable alternative and in our view, a driverless cab will never be able to rival the level of service that an experienced, knowledgeable London cabbie provides.
“As it stands, integrating a driverless vehicle into London’s already congested and overcrowded streets, would also be an extremely difficult proposition fraught with challenges and – as they have already found in California – could pose a danger to other road users.”
FACTORY WORKERS
Factories have been using robots for years to help assemble products and package them for shipment.
One Chinese factory has stepped this up a notch by replacing 90 per cent of humans with robots – and production has soared.
There are now 60 employees at the Changying Precision factory in Dongguan, down from 650.
But despite this drop, there has been a 162.5 per cent increase in production thanks to the robots.
In the UK, Sunderland’s Nissan car plant produces more than 500,000 vehicles each year - more than any other factory in Europe.
But it employs just 6,000 people, a fraction of the number of workers that would have been needed before robotics transformed the manufacturing process.
Professor Vijayakumar said those working in manufacturing and factory jobs will need to develop new skills to take on higher level jobs.
“People will still be needed to supervise and troubleshoot if something goes wrong with the robots.”
NURSES AND HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
Medicine has always used cutting edge technology to make sure patients are given the best chance of recovery.
So it comes as no surprise that robots are rapidly becoming more mainstream in healthcare, from helping the elderly to assisting in wisdom tooth extractions.
Experts hope artificial intelligence may help cut down A&E waiting times and free hospital beds by “redefining preventative care”.
Researchers from the MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences have already developed software to predict when patients with a heart disorder will die.
Experts believe we may also soon start using Smartphone apps to monitor our general health, rather than going to the GP for check-ups.
Robots called TUGs are also being used on hospital wards in San Francisco.
They do various tasks, including delivering food and drugs as well as picking up waste and laundry.
Giant robotic teddy bears are now considered to be Japan’s nurse of the future.
The ROBEAR machines, which have a friendly teddy bear face, have been designed to help care for Japan’s elderly.
They can lift and carry mobility impaired patients, help them stand and provide a support to lean on while walking.
One robot in Tokyo, nicknamed Al Dente, has even successfully done a wisdom tooth extraction on a human patient.
The 55-year-old male patient did not suffer any complications.
Robots are even being used in hospital to kill off bacteria.
BARTENDERS
Waving a fist full of cash trying to get your local bartender's attention may soon be a thing of the past.
Robot bartenders have already been introduced on Royal Caribbean's luxury cruise ship Anthem of the Seas to shake things up.
The robotic bar, nicknamed Makr Shakr, has proved a hit with passengers.
Drinks can be ordered via a tablet device and users aren't limited to a set menu - they can even create their own cocktail.
WHICH JOBS ARE LEAST AT RISK
People working in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics industries can breathe a sigh of relief, as their jobs are least at risk from robots.
Oxford University research suggests engineers, scientists, astronomers, architects, surgeons, psychologists, dentists, chiropractors, opticians, electricians and dietitians are safe.
Jobs where a greater amount of personal care and in-depth attention are also very unlikely to be automated.
This includes therapists, teachers, vets, choreographers, air traffic controllers, archaeologists, fashion designers, the clergy, lawyers, vets and the police.
THE FUTURE
As robots increasingly start taking over human jobs, some experts have highlighted the need for machines to be "held accountable" for any problems or damage caused.
The European Parliament is so afraid at the idea of killer bots that lawmakers suggested all robots should have a "kill switch".
This would mean they could be shut down if they posed a risk to humans.
They will also be considering whether robots should have a legal status as “electronic persons”.
Professor Vijayakumar said the impending robot revolution has sparked an "interesting debate around ethics";.
"People are starting to question who will take responsibility for the robots.
"With driverless cars, if something goes wrong who are you doing to blame? You can't blame the driver.
"It’s unclear who would be at fault. This used to be the realm of science fiction, but it is increasingly becoming a reality."
It comes as Theresa May used a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos to warn about the dangers of those left behind by globalisation.