The workforce is changing quickly due to artificial intelligence and outsourcing, which makes it imperative for both companies and workers to consider which jobs are safe and which are in danger.
While certain roles are still challenging to automate because of regulations, trust, or physical complexity, others are much more susceptible to automation and less resistant to AI. These roles are categorised as “knowledge work” by Andrew Gadomski, a managing director at Aspen Analytics and an authority on the application of AI in employment and workplace planning.
Trades in physical form
Consider emergency response and public service. According to Gadomski, “I always tell my daughter that you can always be a firefighter or a Coast Guard rescue swimmer.” These occupations call for physical effort, dexterity, and fast decision-making—areas where robotics still faces obstacles related to cost, dependability, and trust.
As we go towards greater AI and robotics in the workplace, Cenedella concurs, noting that “things like fixing your sink, making the right type of omelette, or building a bus shelter” would do well. We need people to conduct this work; there isn’t enough technology to automate it yet.
That only indicates that there is still a human element to the task that AI cannot replace, not that they won’t use it to make their jobs simpler. “During an emergency response, a firefighter could wear a vision-enabled helmet that provides insights into structural stability and distinguishes between body heat and flame heat,” Gadomski explains. In other words, “AI will augment, not replace” these roles.
Social services and healthcare
Due to financial and regulatory considerations, surgeons are also comparatively protected. “Insurance companies might feel more at ease paying doctors and nurse practitioners, but they might not feel as comfortable performing robotics or some AI-enabled surgeries,” Gadomski says. Humans remain in the operating room while robots are kept out due to trust and liability concerns.
Law
Another excellent example is law. Attorneys are safe, even though automation may reduce the job of paralegals and legal assistants. “You have to be an attorney in order to enter a courtroom with a defendant. You must be licensed and pass the bar, explains Gadomski. Human advocates continue to play a crucial role in justice thanks to regulation.
Knowledge labour without physical anchors
Knowledge labour without physical anchors is one of the vocations that is at risk.
The opposite is true for tasks that demand routine knowledge work, which is extremely repetitive and does not call for specialised expertise. “If something can be done instantly or continuously, and it doesn’t involve physical exertion, those jobs are really under scrutiny,” says Gadomski directly.
This covers scheduling, transcription, and other monotonous work. When efficiency surpasses traditional roles, AI captions or avatars, for example, can eliminate the requirement for real note-takers and sign language translators, reducing headcount.
Recruiting is another example of this change. According to Gadomski, AI won’t make recruiting obsolete. As the demand declines, recruiting ceases. There is simply less need for recruiters to locate people to fill non-essential tasks since there are fewer job openings for critical roles because employees remain longer and AI increases their output.
The grey areas: Future-oriented jobs
Certain roles will change rather than disappear. As a Harvard University MBA graduate, USA TODAY best-selling author, and host of the podcast “Work That’s Worth It,” Georgi Enthoven says, “Workers who focus their careers on solving real-world problems (versus a specific function/role) aren’t competing against AI — they’re partnering with it.”
For instance, radiology technicians are required to communicate with patients during MRI scans. “I apologise, but a robot will not complete that task,” Gadomski explains. However, because AI will improve processes and streamline diagnosis, fewer technicians may be needed overall. AI will be used to help doctors diagnose and make decisions more easily.
What this implies for the workforce of the future
To put it briefly, AI is changing the definition of who is necessary in the workforce rather than replacing all labour. Jobs that need human interaction, empathy, and responsibility will continue to be preserved. The safest employment choices for employees are in fields like law, health, public safety, and skilled professions that demand human trust, regulation, and dexterity. Without these anchoring, repetitious knowledge activities are already becoming less common.
“You need to start categorising several years from now, how you’re investing in a workforce,” suggests Gadomski, highlighting the strategic planning difficulty for companies. Businesses must choose which jobs can eventually be replaced by technology and which require a human presence. Given how quickly technology is developing, now is the ideal moment to make that choice.
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