More Disciplines, Jobs Under Threat as Tech Takes Over

Introduction

From the medieval period, the Elizabethan age to the modern era, the world has been advancing in technology, as machines and robots perform tasks, and handle those tasks with perfect finish within the speed of light.

What couldn’t be done faster in the past is achieved with the snap of the fingers, and better done with precision by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In this era, technology has assumed tremendous advancement so much so that almost every aspect of human life is largely dependent on it.

The socio-political and economic lives of mankind cannot get out of its grip. Technology influences all facets of human life, increasingly making it difficult for man to live without it.

Tasks that can be performed by humans are at present left in the hands of machines and robots that even execute them better, albeit under the instructions of human elements.

But very alarming is that machines and robots designed and coupled together by man are snatching jobs from him, and driving some of the disciplines that have made the world better out of reckoning.

Responsibilities are left at the behest of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Robotics Engineering, machine networks, and connections that take instructions, perform actions, and complete tasks through coding, rendering man unwanted in some circumstances.

Jobs are being lost, individuals are being edged out, so also old disciplines or courses that were fashionable are threatened, almost becoming obsolete, going into extinction.

Analysts and observers are worried, gazing at the crystal ball, analysing the future, and forecasting that in about 20 years, some courses or disciplines in our universities may be phased out or rendered invaluable.

Courses/Disciplines under Threat
One of those courses or disciplines that may be shoved aside is Journalism, which is being threatened by the invasion of social media, largely influenced by technology. Citizen journalism has become the order of the day.

Blogging, podcasting, and many other processes through which information can be disseminated within the twinkle of an eye are holding sway. Not minding the negative way they impact the quality of the news being broadcast, the world has come to embrace them.

A social media content writer, Odinaka Chuks, in one of his commentaries, disclosed that many stories read now were increasingly written by AI.

“You get these news releases about things that are happening in sports and business. But people are not creating some of these pieces. It’s AI that’s releasing this information,” said Odinaka.

Besides media, Architectural Design, as a discipline, is currently under threat, having at present programmes that can help individuals design their own homes, with some architectural finish, colour, and design choices more automated, while the software is also being used as visualization tools.

Law and paralegal services face the same threat, as a machine learning system could be trained legally to analyze case precedent and history, as well as draft legal briefs.

Odinaka wrote, in his analysis, that the work of those who belong to the lower cadres in Law is being threatened.

According to him, a statistical model created by researchers at Michigan State University and South Texas College was able to predict the outcome of almost 71 percent of the US Supreme Court cases. The most valuable service a lawyer can provide is the ability to predict the outcome of cases, but the computer has matched that.

Marketing and Advertising are not left out. They are facing the challenges posed by digital media and marketing technologies. Computers are choosing which magazines to place ads in, and on which pages they should be placed on, using millions of data points for reference.

Also expected to take a large chunk of audacious threats are both the medical and para-medical professions. Machines are being used to diagnose complex illnesses, as the impact AI will have on fields such as Radiology, Medical Diagnostics, and Pharmacy will be massive.

In accounting, AI can perform some tasks like tax, audits, payroll, and banking, while bank tellers, and cashiers in Banking and Finance, have been replaced by Automated Teller Machines (ATM). In a matter of time, front desk officers, receptionists, and Customer service officers may have to bow out as in some Nigerian banks, robots are performing these tasks.

Teaching, as predicted by observers, will not go unscathed. Lessons can be facilitated through AI and other social media platforms. Lesso notes, that lesson plans are being prepared by AI, while lessons and lectures can be facilitated online without having any recourse for physical contact. Computer Based Test (CBT) has been accepted by many examination bodies as an alternative way to assess students and candidates.

Library Science, Petroleum Engineering, and many others may also likely be threatened as a result of technology.

Reactions/Way out

Speaking in Quora, Andrew Targwoski aligned with the opinion that some disciplines are being threatened, adding, “If robots won’t be regulated- most of the majors will be unused.”

Looking for a way out, “Every college degree will be useful…if you apply yourself … Knowledge and skill is not static. It is always changing, and you must adapt to whatever career you choose. Learning how to learn is the most important… ” submitted William Beeman.

Shirley Clark thinks that we will always need every discipline irrespective of what technology is offering. Clark opined that the world will need communication skills, technologists, interpreters of history, and political and economic negotiators.

Indeed Career Guide posited that to face the threat posed by technology, individuals have to advance their careers, stay current, keeping tech skills fresh and up to date.

It highlighted that individuals can join professional organizations, find mentors, attend industry conferences, and prioritize learning.

It will do them a lot of good if individuals can enroll in inexpensive online classes, or those that are provided free of charge. Some online classes offer tech and industry-specific certifications.

What is most germane, irrespective of the threat being faced as a result of the introduction of technology, is the ability to learn new things, blend with the changing environment, be flexible, as well as find new applications for what it is that you do.

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