A recent estimate by McKinsey & Company and the World Economic Forum has identified six questions that serves as a guide to predict what job titles are most likely to disappear by 2030 as automation and artificial intelligence (AI) reshape the workplace in Nigeria and across the world.
It notes that automation and AI will lift productivity and economic growth, but millions of people worldwide may need to switch occupations or upgrade skills.
Some experts argue that technological innovation may create more jobs than it eliminates, or at least transform existing roles rather than erase them entirely. Still, the consensus underscores the importance of adaptability and continuous upskilling.
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This is because AI developments are accelerating at such a rapid rate that it’s hard to tell precisely what roles will be negatively impacted in the future.
According to the report, here are six questions to ask to know if your role is in danger of elimination:
Questions to identify which roles may be eliminated
Is my work repetitive and requiring minimal human interaction?
Does my role require strategy, complex human judgement, and decision-making?
Is my work mainly focused on execution of basic tasks?
Do the tasks in my job follow predictable rules, systems, and patterns?
Do I work in a space where hands-on physical presence, labour, or dexterity are essential?
Is my organisation already in talks about AI adoption and streamlining their workforce for better efficiency?
According to the report, if your answer is yes to questions one, three, and four, and especially six, your role is likely at high risk of being taken over by AI at some point now or in the near future.
If you answer yes to one or more of the other questions, you’re in a good position even if your organisation is preparing to implement and roll out AI, because your strategic role could be an integral factor in getting them to that position.
Answering these questions identifies positions that are particularly vulnerable to AI because they involve routine tasks that can be readily automated. This aligns with broader research indicating that automation is increasingly displacing office and administrative roles.
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Half of all entry-level jobs could be wiped out by artificial intelligence within the next five years, according to industry leaders. Instead of traditional entry-level roles, employers are expected to prioritise positions requiring strategic thinking, cultural awareness and change-making capabilities.
Already, Forbes has indicated the occupations most likely to be affected by AI, which are postal service clerks, bank tellers, data-entry clerks, retail cashiers and ticket clerks, as well as administrative assistants and executive secretaries.
Notably, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates the loss of up to one million such jobs in the United States by 2029 which may affect labour migration from countries like Nigeria and other countries.
The debate remains, however, over the pace and reality of these trends.
