Machines will do more work than humans by 2025, says the WEF
In less than a decade, most workplace tasks will be done by machines rather than humans, according to the World Economic Forum’s latest AI job forecast.
Job swap: The Future of Jobs 2018 report claims that roughly 71 percent of tasks are done by humans today, but it calls for a rapid shift in responsibilities over the next seven years. The report’s figures are extrapolated from surveys of human resource managers and corporate strategy experts.
Net gain: The report also predicts that advances in machine learning and digital automation will eliminate 75 million jobs by 2025. But it suggests that the same technology could also generate some 133 million new roles by then. Jobs that involve design or programming tasks, critical thinking, and social intelligence will be more resistant to automation, the report claims.
Crystal balls: The report is thought-provoking and well put together. But it’s notoriously difficult to predicting this kind of economic change reliably. Indeed, as we’ve noted before, estimates regarding the number of jobs that AI will destroy (or create) tend to vary wildly.
Deep Dive
Policy
What Luddites can teach us about resisting an automated future
Opposing technology isn’t antithetical to progress.
Is there anything more fascinating than a hidden world?
Some hidden worlds--whether in space, deep in the ocean, or in the form of waves or microbes--remain stubbornly unseen. Here's how technology is being used to reveal them.
Yes, remote learning can work for preschoolers
The largest-ever humanitarian intervention in early childhood education shows that remote learning can produce results comparable to a year of in-person teaching.
Three technology trends shaping 2024’s elections
The biggest story of this year will be elections in the US and all around the globe
Stay connected
Get the latest updates from
MIT Technology Review
Discover special offers, top stories, upcoming events, and more.