With the unstoppable tide of automation technologies washing over various industries, some job roles find themselves on precarious ground. Hence, your job may be set to disappear, or be reduced. Here’s a look at a few professions that could wane and disappear entirely over the course of the coming decade, and why they’re facing this looming threat of redundancy.
The first vulnerable profession worth talking about is that of retail packers. Advances in computer programming and robotics are now part of optimizing pick and pack operations in retail, rendering human involvement increasingly irrelevant.
The result is that the next 10 years could be the last period where retail packers as a role will be significant within the industry's infrastructure. This wave isn't future speculation, as it's happening right now, reshaping our world rapidly.
While fax machines once enjoyed pride of place in offices, their reign seemed to have ended with the dawning of email and instant messaging services like Slack.
With digital communication tools offering quicker, cheaper, and more convenient ways to send information across the globe, the role of a fax machine operator now feels unneccessary. The same goes for businesses that focus their operations on supplying, maintaining, and repairing such equipment.
This likely heralds the total eclipse of such job roles, as businesses are embracing modern technology wholeheartedly, leaving behind the need for human-operated facsimile transmission systems.
On our highways and bridges, toll booth workers have long been commonplace. However, with the rise of electronic toll collection systems like E-ZPass or FasTrak, the need for human operators is dwindling.
The technology allows for seamless transactions without needing drivers to stop or even slow down significantly. As efficient as they are in reducing time-consuming bottlenecks at toll plazas, these advancements hint at the potential disappearance of traditional toll booth worker jobs in the coming years.
Cold calls from telemarketers could soon be a thing of the past. However, this doesn't mean they'll disappear, as automated systems progressively assume their functions.
With companies integrating AI-driven chatbots and voice assistants into their customer outreach efforts, the role of human telemarketers is under real threat of disappearing. They can even confound scammers!
These high-tech tools can reach more people in less time and with fewer resources than traditional operators. Thus, changing not just how we sell products, but who (or rather what) does the selling.
Thanks to smartphones and the internet, today's on-demand news culture has us accessing updates with a tap or swipe. This shift towards digital platforms signals a decline in one traditional occupation, that of newspaper delivery.
People are getting more comfortable receiving their daily headlines online rather than the old-world charm of paper at their doorstep each morning. Thus, this crew is confronted with an imminent diminution in demand. The coming decade may well write the last chapter in the story of newspaper distribution and delivery jobs.
People are increasingly choosing to book their holidays online. After all, they can plan each detail from flights and hotels to experiences right at their fingertips. This digital turn has created significant challenges for traditional travel agents.
As more travel-related services move onto virtual platforms with easy-to-use interfaces, the job role of these human intermediaries is losing its significance at a rapid pace.
This is another niche that will also be impacted by AI. People will no longer need to turn to flesh and blood agents in order to get trip recommendations. Instead, they can simply ask automated tools to plan a vacation for them in a fraction of the time.
As retail undergoes a seismic shift towards automation, cashier jobs are increasingly threatened. The emergence of self-checkout kiosks in stores worldwide is revamping how we conduct our transactions.
These devices mean customers can complete their purchases without any human interaction whatsoever. These automated machines offer increased efficiency and reduced long queue times at checkout counters. Thus, they're likely to become more widespread, causing further declines in traditional cashier roles.
As technology continues its relentless march, the face of employment is changing profoundly. With automation sweeping across industries, from retail to travel and communications, several job roles stand on the brink of obsolescence.
While this transition signifies an end for some professions, it may also herald new opportunities in a tech-driven future. Preparing for these shifts today can ensure we navigate tomorrow's job market with resilience and adaptability, rather than trepidation. So, is your job set to disappear?
