It’s not the first time we’ve highlighted the possibility of a robotic future, and we’re not the first to mention it either! As the influence of AI continues to play a part across various industries, predictions loom as to just how much we’ll see robots influence the future of work. The major affect of Covid-19 has seen businesses have to adopt a different way of working, making work more efficient for improved results. 

Businesses are now beginning to invest in artificial intelligence; although not all employers believe the use of AI will produce accurate results – especially within recruitment. 

According to HR News, 48% of hiring managers believe that humans deliver the best recruitment outcomes for businesses; and 27% of hiring managers suggest AI technology delivers the best results. 

According to Semrush, statistics around AI revealed that: 

• 86% of CEOs say AI is mainstream technology in their office in 2021. 
• 54% of executives say that implementing AI in their workplace has increased productivity. 
• 75% of executives fear going out of business within five years if they don’t scale AI. 

This shows the influence AI is set to have on the future workforce. It’s not just the recruitment sector which faces a divide as to whether AI will be beneficial or not; but sectors including banking & finance, Travel and Entertainment & Gaming have benefitted from the use of AI. However, the retail sector is the sector that is predicted to see the highest possibility of being replaced by robots. 

A study conducted by electrical supplier ElectricalDirect, analysed 20 million jobs around the UK and concluded that retail workers face a 70% chance of being replaced by robots in the next few years. 

The same study revealed that the top 10 jobs that are most likely to be replaced by machines include: Cleaners (68.13%), Sewing Machinists (68.64%), Kitchen/Catering Staff (69.20%), Retail Assistants (70.69%) and Waiters/Waitresses (72.81%). 

ElectricalDirect’s director Dominick Sandford, believes that the impact of Covid-19 has “ushered in many forms of automated services”. 

“No longer the stuff of fantasy, the technological revolution has brought within reach what many Sci-Fi writers long predicted – an automated workforce led by AI enabled robots”. 

“It may not look or feel quite how it was imagined, with COVID-19 ushering in many forms of automated services which may already seem like they’ve been here forever. However, in the long term, such huge technological leaps forward in the way our services are provided and consumer demands are met could change the entire nature of our workforce and our entire economy.”

A robotic future is close; but just how close?