Robots are coming

A new report reveals that we are close to a world in which machines do our work for us

Robots might be a gimmick now but they might soon be doing jobs like driving taxis and checking people out at the grocery store. Toru Yamanaka /AFP Photo

In just 20 years, robots could be doing almost half of the jobs of workers. According to a new report based on research by the University of Oxford, machines will soon be able to take on 235 of 601 jobs that researchers examined in Japan. From driving taxis to replacing grocery store cashiers, robots are closer than you might think to taking over a variety of critical jobs in society.

Of course, robots remain far from taking over jobs that require the creativity that comes from interacting with people in professions such as medicine, education and even fashion.AndBut prediction is a tricky business when it comes to robot technology.

With regard to labour, artificial intelligence technology presents two central challenges. We must maintain the facilities to build the robots while at the same preparing for life after them. With advancements in technology, many jobs will be eliminated by a new robot workforce but other opportunities that we can barely predict will certainly arise.