The Core

Our Terminator thread is overwhelmed with an ever-increasing [insert Apocalyptic phrase-du-jour here], so...

A thread chronicling the building of our job-killers:

I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news first.  This one will devastate jobs even in the 3rd World.  The good news is that Nike, etc. won't need to run sweatshops.

https://www.fastcompany.com/3067149/robot-revolution/is-this-sewing-robot-the-future-of-fashion


<changed thread name. was Robotic Job-Killers>

I may have to throttle my news reader on kw phrase 'job killer.'

The In Situ Fabricator1 is designed from the bottom up to be practical. It can build stuff using a range of tools with a precision of less than five millimeters, it is designed to operate semi-autonomously in a complex changing environment, it can reach the height of a standard wall, and it can fit through ordinary doorways. And it is dust- and waterproof, runs off standard electricity, and has battery backup.

https://www.technologyreview.com/s/603429/new-robotic-fabricator-could-change-the-way-buildings-are-constructed/

Robots Are Taking Over Oil Rigs

Automation means wells need only five workers, down from 20

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-01-24/robots-are-taking-over-oil-rigs-as-roughnecks-become-expendable

'Automated dermatologist' detects skin cancer with expert accuracy

http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/26/health/ai-system-detects-skin-cancer-study/

@littleman RE impacts on "low skill" workers - add this one to my comment about radiologists. People, especially MDs, are not ready for this.

[changed thread title. it's more than robots]

Had an eye exam lately?  Last couple of years for my exams, the doc just checks and signs off on what the computer scans.  Lemme assemble a couple of articles here that spell out job doom for optometrists.

http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2016/05/25/479346651/online-eye-exam-site-makes-waves-in-eye-care-industry

http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/05/28/409731415/smart-phones-are-so-smart-they-can-now-test-your-vision

https://phys.org/news/2017-01-smart-glasses-automatically-focus-wearer.html

>They haven't adjusted yet

And they have good lobbyists and certification boards awash in self-interest. On top of that, older users just don't trust tech even if the numbers prove it (see pharmacist post. stats are overwhelmingly support robot pharmacists but hospitals balk at the PR problem.)

Scratch those document review jobs:

"Robots have recently entered the legal workplace, performing several tasks once assigned to newly minted law grads. What does this mean for current and future lawyers? Simple answer: robots will not replace lawyers but they will work with them"

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markcohen1/2016/09/06/artificial-intelligence-and-legal-delivery/#12652f282647

I've been reading up on 'robot-proofing' and almost all of the articles are vague, too broad , over-simplified, and have a light smack of dismissiveness. Like so;

http://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2016/08/12/will-these-4-skills-help-future-proof-your-career/

IMO, you can't teach creativity or empathy or some aspects of social-situation mastery to the point that a job is safe. You *can* teach 'the general rules, responses, & reactions' to give them a better skillset ...but you're outlining patterns here. And if it's a pattern....

Ergophobe termed it better -I forget the phrase he used- but having a job that deals with unpredictable interactions is the most tech-proof, I think.

Robot-proof your kids by teaching them to perform "unpredictable" jobs

http://boingboing.net/2017/01/23/robot-proof-your-kids-by-teach.html