The Rise of Robots: Will They Take Our Jobs or Make Life Easier?

These days, robots are more than just science fiction; they can conduct surgeries, deliver your pizza, and stack boxes in warehouses. Machines are learning to perform jobs that once thought unattainable for anything without a heartbeat, from factory floors to schools. However, a major concern remains as robots grow in intelligence and capability: will they assist humans or take their place? In actuality, the development of robots has the potential to fundamentally alter how we live, work, and think, and the next generation will be the one to shape this future.

It's simple to envision a future in which robots perform all tasks more quickly, more affordably, and without the need for lunch breaks. Indeed, automation is changing some jobs. Some cashiers are being replaced by self-checkout machines, automobiles are being assembled by robots, and AI programs are even capable of writing code or news stories. However, this does not imply that people are becoming worthless—quite the opposite.

Robots lack imagination and empathy, but they excel at repetition and accuracy. They are fully capable of following directions, but they lack the ability to comprehend emotions, form moral judgements, or generate original ideas. Robots are still designed, programmed, and improved by humans, which calls for creativity and problem-solving skills that machines cannot match.

In reality, new kinds of work are emerging as robots take over tedious or hazardous jobs. To create, maintain, and operate these machines, engineers, programmers, and technicians are more in demand than ever. AI is now used as a creative collaborator rather than a substitute in industries like music and art.

Will all of our jobs be replaced by robots? Most likely not. However, they will alter the nature of employment, so everyone of us will need to develop new abilities and maintain our curiosity. The future is about humans and robots cooperating to improve life, not about humans versus robots.

Citations

Black Diamond Agency (2022). 5 Reasons Why Robots Can’t Replace Human Workforce. [online] Black Diamond Agency. Available at: https://blackdiamondagency.com/5-reasons-why-robots-cant-replace-human-workforce/.

SalientProcess. (2023). Why Automation & AI Can’t Replace Humans | Salient Process. [online] Available at: https://salientprocess.com/blog/reasons-automation-and-ai-cannot-replace-humans/.