Advancements in modern technology since the 1970s have been nothing short of amazing. In fact, after January 1, 1983, which is widely regarded as the official birthday of the Internet, the world has not been the same, as mankind has more and more leaned on technology to improve efficiency and make life easier, at least for most people.

It’s not surprising, therefore, that with the leap to the development of artificial intelligence (AI) we are now seeing a real threat to jobs.

This issue, which is both encouraging and troubling, was explored in detail in a Business Observer Special Report last Wednesday. The report highlighted data from a McKinsey Global Institute study which found that, by 2030, almost a third of jobs worldwide could be taken over by automation.

Experts, we are told, have said that the displacement of jobs, which are not limited to factory work or those in technology, will also creep into other industries such as health care, retail, and even the creative industries, some of which are already feeling the impact.

The Business Observer series also pointed to the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report 2023, which stated that some 69 million jobs will be created in the next five years, driven by new technologies and the green transition. These will also be counterbalanced by another 83 million jobs which will be put at risk due to economic pressures and automation.

“This means one-quarter of today’s jobs will be disrupted in the next five years,” the report noted.

A daunting projection by experts is that travel agents, switchboard operators, bank tellers, meter readers, data entry clerks, pre-press technicians, fast food workers, customer service representatives, referees, telemarketers, farm workers, translators, librarians, accountants, bookkeepers, proofreaders, textile workers, and toll booth operators are likely to become extinct over time as the use of AI becomes more prevalent.

We also read that Forbes magazine, referencing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston University report, indicated that AI will replace as many as two million manufacturing workers by 2025.

Naturally, the solution to this evolution is not to roll over and die. Indeed, mankind has, for centuries, demonstrated resilience in the face of challenges to our existence.

Against that background, we commend those who have already started to equip themselves with skills that are harder to automate, or have begun looking at new career choices that are less likely to become extinct amid this technological shift.

The Business Observer Special Report quoted Dr Donovan Stanberry, Mona campus registrar at The University of the West Indies (The UWI), as saying that the university is seeing an uptick in students studying software engineering and computer science as the younger generation looks more to tech-based jobs.

We are encouraged by Dr Stanberry’s revelation that The UWI, in an effort to satisfy the current needs of its students and the labour market, is adjusting its programmes and courses “to incorporate new elements based on the trends”.

At the same time, we refer Jamaicans to business operators like Mr Adrian Dunkley, CEO of data company StarApple Analytics, who has already embraced the technology, using it to improve efficiency. That’s the way to go.