Employment: why robotization does not mean the end of work

Amber Deharo

Published 29/07/2018 at 1:34 pm

The robots of the future will destroy our jobs. This fear is the one of many employees who realize that the rise of robotization and the use of artificial intelligence is indeed there in 2018. And that certain sectors of activity are threatened. However, is this fear justified? No, according to a recent study by the PwC cabinet, relayed by Les Échos .

The consulting firm has thus taken the measure of the impact of the development of robotization and artificial intelligence over the next 20 years, in the United Kingdom. Conclusion: If the growth of these technologies will inevitably lead to the destruction of some jobs, it will create at least as many in other sectors. Overall, seven million existing UK jobs are expected to have disappeared in 20 years due to robotics and artificial intelligence, but 7.2 million new jobs should also emerge over the same period.

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The sectors of activity related to the human are those who have the most to win. According to PwC, health will benefit from the largest increase in jobs in the long term, with an increase of 22%. It will be followed by technical and scientific services (+ 16%), and education (+ 6%). The transport sector is expected to see 40% of its jobs destroyed by the year 2037, while the manufacturing sector will be cut by 700,000 jobs, or more than 25%.

The digital divide [19659011] Nevertheless, the economic benefits that these new technologies will generate should lead to an increase of the British GDP of more than 10% by the year 2030. But for a smooth transition, it will be necessary that the public policies put in place by governments are at the level, warns PwC. The focus should therefore be on investment in STIAM workers' training (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics), insists the research firm.

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Reducing the digital divide is also essential. According to PwC, the scenario of seeing mbad unemployment explode with the rise of robotization is unlikely, but it is possible that "these technologies can favor those who already have strong digital skills". This would then contribute to further widening the inequalities of wealth and income among the population.