Human roles in the ‘Future of Work’

The World Economic Forum predicts that almost 75 million jobs that humans currently carry out will be replaced with AI by 2022. However, 133 million will be created as a result of increased AI and automation technology in the workplace.

This may seem alarming but much of the work being automated today is mundane and includes highly repetitive tasks that humans find dull, but bots can complete these tasks with great efficiency, accuracy, and speed.  

Humans will always be needed in the automation world to build, train, and maintain bots. Automation should be a complement to the ‘Future of Work,’ not something to fear. Allowing bots to pick up the low decision-making tasks frees people to focus on engaging and stimulating work, we discuss this in more depth in this blog post.

While many of these jobs may not exist yet, some already do, we take a quick look at a few of the new roles that Cognizant predict will be on the horizon in the next ten years.
 
Cyber City Analyst

We have smart cars, smartphones, smart fridges – the next big thing is a smart city.

Google’s parent company, Alphabet, created Sidewalk Labs in 2015 and are leading the industry to develop smart cities.

Sidewalk Labs is a ‘company with a mission to radically improve urban life. We aim to create inclusive, large-scale communities by bringing together an innovative planning approach, products and services designed to address urban challenges, and capital for real estate and advanced infrastructure.’, according to their jobs site.

Cyber City Analysts will be responsible for ensuring all the data for the city is healthy, safe, and secure. This is a mammoth undertaking; the individual will need to have expert technological and infrastructure knowledge, be an excellent problem solver and a master of people management.

Cognizant predicts that ‘technology will upgrade all aspects of society’ and a Cyber City Analyst will need to ensure this is done responsibly in a smart city environment.

Artificial Intelligence Business Development Manager

This may be a title you have already seen as many large corporations, including Amazon Web Services, are hiring for this position at the time of writing.

The need for this role comes from the fact that AI solutions need human input to be successful. The role will include working closely with internal teams, including sales and marketing, as well as external partners to identify and develop AI innovations. The individual will need to be a strategic thinker who can pinpoint challenges and provide solutions/product improvements using the latest AI technology.

See also: How 3 Types of Automation Help Your Business Run Better
 
Fitness Commitment Counselor

Many people like to keep fit and healthy, and how we do this is likely to change in the future.

Cognizant predicts there will be increased use of wearable fitness trackers.

The role of a Fitness Commitment Counselor (FCC) will be to use these devices to help keep people accountable for their fitness goals. FCCs will work with clients one on one and use the data from the trackers to create fitness regimes and eating plans to help achieve a healthier standard of living. The ideal candidate will be a motivator with a background in personal training, counseling, nursing, or nutrition.

Here, we have looked at a selection of potential roles that could become more common in the business world in the next few years. Hopefully, this shows that even in an increasingly technology-focused world, there will be many new and exciting opportunities for people.
 
Could your business benefit from automation support?

See also: Your New Workout Partner and Team Builder: A Bot
 
Reach out to us on Twitter and LinkedIn; we’d love to hear what automation technology you are currently using and what you’d like to see in the future.