A new report by McKinsey Global Institute has calculated that up to 800million workers around the world could lose their jobs by 2030 and be replaced by automation.
The study of 46 countries found that one-fifth of the global workforce will be affected by AI and a third of the richer nations, such the US and Germany, may need to retrain.
In comparison, poorer nations such as India will be less affected by emerging technologies. According to the report, the staff at most risk are mortgage brokers, paralegals and accountants. By comparison, the jobs requiring human interaction – such as doctors, teachers, lawyers, plumbers, care workers and bartenders – are seen as less prone to automation.
Driverless cars could be on UK roads by 2021
In November, UK Chancellor Philip Hammond outlined his vision for the UK to be one of the first countries to allow “genuine driverless cars” within four years. Speaking to the BBC, Hammond said: “We have to embrace these technologies if we want the UK to lead the next industrial revolution.”
The Government added that the driverless car industry would be worth £28billion to the UK economy by 2035 and will support 27,000 jobs.
It appears that motoring manufacturers are readying themselves to deliver. Uber recently announced it would buy up 24,000 Volvo cars by 2021 to prepare a fleet of fully autonomous, on-demand passenger vehicles, while Jaguar Land Rover began testing driverless cars on public roads in Coventry city centre this year.
Despite the obvious dangers of the driverless car, it appears they could ease the stress on employees lives. Indeed, a 2015 survey from Venson Automotive Solutions has revealed that company car drivers would welcome driverless cars as an option, with 62% saying they’d be happy to let their company car do the driving. While over half (55%) of the respondents stated that they think driverless cars will actually reduce road traffic accidents, too.
