What jobs & university courses should kids aim for to protect employment from Artifical Ingelligence?

[Suncreamweather]

Following on from the Artificial Intelligence thread.. What careers & university courses will still still be necessary for humans to carry out?

I believe that babies have an inbuilt need to gaze at other human faces (especially those of their immediate family) and try to interact with them. If they couldn’t do this, would their brains even develop properly? I don’t think AI will replace nursery nurses anytime soon.

I’m not sure about the care of older children, but given how hard it was to keep children focused on online lessons during lockdown, I think teachers will be around for a while too.

Plumber, electrician, builder, surveyor etc. No 2 houses / problems ever the same so difficult to programme AI, and nobody wants to do the job so a definite skill shortage, no degree required so no student debt, and stick your prices as high as you can to avoid being over-busy

So the AI will grown arms & legs to move fence panels around? ? Getting down the side passage of old terraces, up and down uneven ground, digging the holes, and knowing where the key is to unlock the side gate? AND knowing how & where to put the concrete posts in (). That will be an interesting set of capabilities.

Surgery is being carried out by robots and may be safer than human hands.https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2022/may/robotic-surgery-safer-and-improves-patient-recovery-time.
https://www.uclahealth.org/medical-services/robotic-surgery/what-robotic-surgery

Computer coding so they can fix the effing things when they go wrong plan to take over the world and enslave the human race

Thing is careers evolve - technology was in its infancy when I was born - it did exist but the concept that social media would have the power wasn’t really thought of ( or maybe my careers service wasn’t up to date). But smart, curious people will always find a place. I’m less sure about people asserting AI won’t be able to do things - AI is the equivalent of a toddler. Ten years on - who knows.

I suspect humans will remain cheaper than AI for a long time for manual stuff.
we still haven’t really got the robotic fruit pickers going to replace the lack of migrant workers that brexit has caused ….
medicine and nursing. Not sure. AI has a lot of work to do to for instance decide if you are actually ill or not , rather than make aComplex diagnosis - simply because humans are pretty rubbish about knowing how to give info 😆. If you’ve ever asked a person how long they’ve had a sore knee for and got “
well I might have pulled it at our billies party “
as the answer - that’s a lot for AI to unpick - and that’s without them telling you that actually they aren’t walking much now anyway … because they get a pain in the chest when they do. …

I think human service will become a luxury. Like how the cheapest grocery stores are now self check out but if you go to an upmarket one you still get served by a person. So there will still be retail and service roles, but these will be only at expensive stores/restaurants. I never use the self service machines - my own small protest against automation lol.

There were similar concerns around at the time of the industrial revolution. There will be change, but humans find ways to make technology work for them.

Yes. AI isn’t just a chat bot you know

It isn't AI which will decide our fate, it'll be the rich who control these systems. I have no faith that they'll be benevolent enough to want to keep us around as we'll just be deemed useless resource users. Tbh, I think the AI might have a more benign attitude towards our plight than our fellow humans.

The thing is, five years from now (about the time it takes to qualify as an architect?) AI will have had 5 more years getting better at all these things. It’s improving exponentially- that’s one of the elements that has really shocked people working in the industry. Not the current capabilities of AI but its potential and the sheer speed at which it is learning and improving.

Although there will always be animals I think pet ownership for pleasure will drastically reduce as we get more environmentally conscious

A lot of roles in the NHS are not just about care or delivery of a procedure etc.

My job is picking over written info, subtle questioning, often with extreme levels of communication support due to impairment, history taking, observing nuances of communication and action, hands on examination and arriving at a diagnostic outcome. Then devising a management plan to be executed. The latter I can see being done by AI but not the former.

I certainly won't be hiring any robots in my coffee shop but unfortunately that's not a career path for most , it's a stop gap while they work out what they want to do.

How quickly are we expecting such changes to occur ?

These discussions always bring to mind the Hazel O’Connor song Eighth Day from 1980 about computers taking over the world.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8ALdL8oV_sY

5 years ago, the capabilities now exhibited by GPT-4 (and similar LLMs), was the stuff of science fiction.

Don't go to uni - learn a trade, build a business, become an employer.

You will still need academia to research how to stop the bots taking over. Anyway not everyone is cut out to be tradesmen and labourers (just like not everyone is cut out for academia)

Of course it can. But you will find you will still need someone to run the programme but it would mean less manual graft.
Similar machines with arms, sensors, sequenced programmes etc... are used in science all the time.
Construction would just be a similar concept on a bigger scale.

AI will have changed the world as we know it within the next 10 years.

I find it terrifying. DS on the other hand is waiting eagerly for his UBI!

Chat GPT's answer to the thread title:

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to advance, it is indeed important for individuals to consider careers that are less likely to be automated. While it is difficult to predict the future with certainty, here are some areas that may be less susceptible to automation in the near term:

1. Creative and artistic professions: Occupations that require high levels of creativity, imagination, and originality, such as artists, musicians, writers, and designers, are less likely to be automated. These roles rely on human ingenuity and emotional intelligence, which are challenging for AI to replicate.

1. Healthcare and medical professions: Jobs in healthcare, such as doctors, nurses, therapists, and medical researchers, involve complex decision-making, empathy, and human interaction, making them less susceptible to automation. The healthcare field also requires specialized knowledge and continuous learning, making it a relatively safe career choice.

1. STEM fields: While some tasks within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) may be automated, these fields offer numerous opportunities for innovation and problem-solving. Jobs in research and development, data analysis, software engineering, robotics, and nanotechnology are likely to be in demand as technology advances.

1. Social and human-centric roles: Professions that involve caring for and assisting others, such as teachers, social workers, psychologists, and counselors, are less likely to be fully automated. These roles require empathy, understanding, and human connection, which are challenging for AI to replicate.

1. Entrepreneurship and business leadership: Starting your own business or being in leadership positions that require strategic thinking, decision-making, and interpersonal skills can provide some protection against automation. These roles often involve managing complex relationships, negotiating, and adapting to change.

When it comes to university courses, here are a few suggestions:

1. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning: By studying AI and machine learning, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of these technologies and potentially contribute to their development. This knowledge can be applied to various fields, including healthcare, finance, and robotics.

1. Data Science and Analytics: As the amount of data continues to grow, professionals who can analyze, interpret, and derive insights from data will be in demand. Data science and analytics programs teach skills in statistical analysis, data visualization, and predictive modeling.

1. Cognitive Science and Psychology: Understanding human cognition, behavior, and emotions can provide insights into how AI can work alongside humans rather than replace them. These fields can offer opportunities to design AI systems that align with human needs and values.

1. Ethical and Legal Studies: The rise of AI brings ethical and legal challenges. Courses focusing on the ethical implications of AI, privacy, cybersecurity, and intellectual property can equip individuals to navigate these complex issues.

It's important to note that the job market is constantly evolving, and the impact of AI on employment will vary across industries and regions. Regardless of the chosen field, a commitment to lifelong learning, adaptability, and acquiring a diverse skill set will be crucial for staying relevant in an AI-driven world.

Except if it was set at a high enough level to be able to live on then we would need to hugely increase income tax to pay for it. So it would be incredibly difficult for anyone to get above a basic standard of living. It would basically be like universal credit except with less incentive to work for more skilled workers as you will get to keep so little of your wage.