Work shapes the lives of many people and is often a meaningful part of their lives. History shows that the meaning of work is constantly changing. Every industrial revolution has brought both job losses and new job opportunities, as well as new forms of working and a changed role in people’s lifestyles.
Because we are in the middle of the digital revolution and disruptive technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) are entering our world, work will change significantly. Technologists, economists, politicians and philosophers are vigorously debating about the implications of Artificial Intelligence. A very broad study, published 2013 by Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne of the University of Oxford, found that 47% of jobs in America are at high risk of being replaced by “computer capital” soon, which gives this discussion a new urgency (Frey & Osborne, 2013).
Whether we lose all our jobs to robots or not; global mobility, social and demographic change, as well as new ecosystems and life philosophies, will certainly lead to new roles and career models in the future. How will society react? And how will life goals change over time?
The average person nowadays performs 100,000 hours of work during their lifetime. As a result, work not only fills a large part of our lives, but often defines who we are. While we may not necessarily agree on what the future of work will look like, one thing is certain: their character and meaning will change radically, opening up new possibilities and perspectives.
So what are your thoughts about your future professional life with regards to Artificial Intelligence?
References:
Frey, C. B., & Osborne, M. (2013). The future of employment. How susceptible are jobs to computerisation.
