The Future of Work with the Rise of AI and Automation

I often come across the question: “Which professions will survive the technological revolution and the rise of artificial intelligence?”

And I get it. Who wouldn’t want to know if their job will still matter in the future? But maybe we should be asking a different question.

What will people truly need in 10 years? What problems will they need to solve to not only survive but also live a good life? If we can answer this, it will ultimately lead us back to the original question.

Survival

Let’s start with the basics. What is absolutely essential for survival? Clean water, food, breathable air, and other fundamental requirements. Each of these needs and the potential problems that arise from them could fill an entire blog post on its own.

Additionally, survival today also depends on:

Safety. Physical security remains the foundation for everything else. In an increasingly uncertain world, protection from threats – whether natural disasters or social unrest – will be critical.

Housing.

Energy. Accessing, storing, and using energy efficiently will likely remain a relevant topic even a decade from now.

Healthcare and Elderly Care. People need care. With aging populations, support will be crucial not only for a good life but also for basic survival.

A Good Life

Surviving is one thing. But what do we need to truly live well? I believe it all starts with meaning. We need life and the world around us to have some significance, or at least to be on a journey toward finding it. When this is missing, life feels empty, and a sense of unease creeps in. (Read more at: The Meaning of Life in the Age of Machines, Algorithms, and Artificial Intelligence)

To live a good life, I believe we need:

Freedom. Everyone needs it in some form or should at least be on the path to achieving it. This is a complex topic that deserves its own blog post.

Mental Health.

Access to Information and the Ability to Interpret It. The ability to distinguish between what is essential and what is irrelevant, between credible and misleading information, and, based on this, to discern right from wrong, will become one of the most crucial skills.

Community and Relationships. Genuine relationships and a sense of belonging have always had, and will continue to have, immense value.

The Opportunity to Participate in Public Affairs. We need to feel that we have an influence on our surroundings. The ability to impact public events, participate in decision-making processes, contribute to societal issues, or simply have the chance to express our opinions. Being an active part of something greater is, for many, an inseparable aspect of a good life.

Protection and Safety of Loved Ones. A good life isn’t just about personal happiness. We feel better knowing our loved ones are safe. Protecting family and friends, whether from physical dangers or psychological challenges, is and will remain a fundamental need.

Protection of Property.

Digital Security. As more aspects of life move online, protecting digital identities and assets will be of unprecedented importance. (This raises an additional question: How likely is it that this trend could reverse due to a lack of digital security? This topic certainly deserves its own blog post.)

The Second Question

Now that we have a clearer idea of what will be essential, a second question arises: What can hardware and software handle, and where will humans still be needed?

Will a robot be capable of caring for an elderly person with the same empathy as a human? Can an algorithm grasp the depth of human relationships? Perhaps. But perhaps not anytime soon. And do we even want an algorithm to handle the complexity of human relationships and the meaning of life? Would we entrust our child to an artificial being that could potentially be hacked to cause harm?

The future of work will not be determined solely by new technologies but primarily by our needs and how we choose to fulfill them.

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