Potential UK Job Losses to Robots

Since the late 50s humanity has dreamed of being able give mundane, manual task-based jobs, to robots. Offloading repetitive jobs to machines which will free up our time and allow us to concentrate on creating new ideas and technologies, and theoretically, allowing us to step into the future through huge gains in ‘free time’ leading to a neo-bohemian period of growth.

However, as that dream becomes a reality, previously un-thought-of issues are starting to arise, and paramount among those worries is the resulting lack of jobs for less skilled workers. After all, why would you pay a manual labourer to do a job when a machine can do it faster, more accuretly and quite probably more cost efficiently too? Luckily for most of us this potentially-bleak future is still a few years off, but research has already begun in to who will be the most effected by the robot revolution.

From the Guardian:

 

The thinktank Future Advocacy – which specialises in looking at the big 21st century policy changes – said at least one-fifth of jobs in all 650 constituencies were at high risk of being automated, rising to almost 40% in McDonnell’s west London seat of Hayes and Harlington.

The thinktank’s report also found that the public was largely untroubled by the risk that their job might be at threat. Only 2% of a sample of more than 2,000 people were very worried that they might be replaced by a machine, with a further 5% fairly worried.

 

So – should you be worried? which areas in the Uk are most likely to be affected in the near future? Well – this map below shows exactly which areas are most likely to be impacted: (Credit Guardian Newspapers)

UK map with job losses

Certainly, the future is not set in stone, the rise of the robots may not be a bad thing, but it may be wise to ensure you keep up to date with the potential outcomes.

by Richard Newman

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