What jobs will never be taken by AI?

[RubyRubyRubyRubay]

So, my son is about to take his GCSE options and although I've been getting him to think of a trade he might like, he really wants to go to uni.

I can think of lots of trades that will be difficult for AI to totally take over:
painting
plumbing
roofing
building
cooking
sports coach

. . . but what about jobs you need a degree for?

I'm struggling to think of any that AI won't eventually decimate.

Any ideas out there?

So you would do some research first? Your comment suggests you will.

And you would know that you never go into a market all at once. And this is the riskiest market I have ever scene. Too many tech people exited on the back of games and apps thinking they can do it all again. They won't - insolvency practitioners will clean up.

Look at those smaller New Cos with founders who have a track record in tech development. They think they can take on AI and some will, but some won't. Those that have a track record will receive investment from the goliath companies (MSFT, AMZN, META) and that is what you may want to look at. For the simple reason it is becoming harder to invest in private companies without spread. So perhaps go for the leaders and leverage that way. MSFT has never let me down, but I have 10% (and no more) in it.

These companies invest in two potential winners, then 'can' the weakest. This dilutes your risk.

A vet. Most animals won’t trust a robot to treat them. At least based on the way my cats react to the hoover!

It will be a long time until AI replaces many jobs but what will happen is that AI will make many jobs MUCH faster which will make pay/demand for people in those jobs go down.

Lawyers will still be needed but their arguments and research will be done by AI.

Design (my field) will be heavily influenced but still needs a human to speak to clients and to understand and follow a brief. Things like surveying and measuring have a lot of scope for AI to make things easier there.

Honestly I would just let him do what he wants the landscape will change but so will the jobs to follow that.

If he wants to go far then he could become an AI engineer? Build the future master race of bots

While I think it’s sensible to be aware of the implications of AI, I really dont think you should be steering your sons gcse options based on it. He should do what interests him most/ what he’s good at.

There’s no way anyone can predict whats going to happen with AI, so the best you can do now is to make sure your son chooses a path that he feels excited by in subjects he feels confident in. Thats going to set him up better than presuming what may/ may not lead to a job in the future.

I don't think it will replace teaching. I asked AI today to come up with a (simple) maths question for me. The question was good. But the answer was wrong as it hadn't understood the question fully. I told it it was incorrect then it gave me the correct answer. However, the working out and explanation was not very logical at all. I wasn't impressed. My method for working out the answer was much simpler and better for pupils. A teacher will always be needed to check what the AI is doing is correct!

Marine archaeologist
Zoo keeper
Forensic scientist
Art conservator
Vet
Tree surgeon
Farrier
Electrician
Asbestos removal technicians
Locksmith
Wig maker

@LeSoleil Ha, I'm not planning to invest in AI at all. My DH works at one that's likely going to go bust in the next month or so.

Seeing how quick AI is moving on right now in my job, I don't think any roles are safe, not even the ones updating the AI. It's a strange time to be alive. DD1 is considering GCSE choices and says she doesn't know what she wants to be. I sort of feel like my kids will end up in jobs we can't even imagine yet. It's a bit scary

Well, yes. When I did GCSEs the web didn't exist. Or many personal computers. And now how many jobs are in that!

AI is a tool. As it takes over jobs, other ones will become available.

@Avocadohair18 it may not replace teachers per se but there’s untold potential for it to act as a TA in helping in the classroom which will free up the teacher’s time.

I highly recommend listening to Reid Hoffman’s podcast about the potential of AI. The episodes on use in the medical field for diagnosis are particularly interesting.

This is the one about educational potential: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/possible/id1677184070?i=1000641143061

People seem to think that AI equates to replacing a human with a robot, but that isn't the half of it.

where AI comes into its own, is making sense of / modelling big datasets, drawing inferences, leading to decisions being made quicker than humans are capable of achieving. So triaging cancer patient diagnoses to enable effective treatments or medication to be administered will become a lot more accurate in the future, and hence more patients can be processed rather than waiting weeks or months for diagnosis.

i can't think of any area that AI won't touch, but that doesn't mean jobs will be completely eliminated, they will be done a lot more effectively. Used ethically, AI can benefit humankind, the challenge will be detecting and controlling the use of AI for evil purposes.

Re trades, I can imagine that AI could replace a lot of labour for new builds, i.e. housing estates, factories, warehouses, etc., and in areas such as prefabricated buildings (wooden house sections etc).

What I really can't see is repairs to existing buildings, i.e. rewiring a house, replacing a kitchen/bathroom, removing and replacing flooring, re-decorating etc., as there's a lot of "finesse" involved i.e. removing the old, working out how to fit the new etc. Maybe, rewiring an AI built house could be done by AI because there'd be plans, conduits, etc., but re-wiring a 50/100 year old "hand made" house needs humans.

Same with car repairs - easy enough for AI to drop out and replace a set of batteries, but not so easy to replace a starter motor in a petrol Ford Escort!

Yes, I agree. There'll be whole new industries created as there have been ever since the 18th Century and the start of the Industrial Revolution, over which time people have been claiming machines will take over! Just think of all the new industries that simply didn't exist in 1800!

Dancer or actor

Wasn't expecting this thread to take off in the time it took to tend the roasties!

Thanks everyone.

Psychology and physiotherapy are great suggestions, as are the caring for other humans/animals type jobs.
Veterinary is a good call - he's a huge animal lover and is interested in their behaviour and psychology which could be an interesting mix.

His main interest currently is history, Perhaps he could log the history of the rise of AI!

I guess we will always revere human writers, I can't imagine AI could come up with anything as absorbing as a well written history or fiction novel.

I wasn't really trying to steer him at this early stage (or at any stage too much) but just wanted to inspire and enthuse him to the possibilities of different pathways.

I totally agree that doing what he enjoys and feels motivated by is the best way forward - who know where it could lead. The future just feels so fragile at the moment its very hard to see what lies ahead and what skills will be needed.

I love your eclectic list @twingiraffes !

It’s hard to imagine what the limits to AI might be in the future. But I’d think that the judiciary would be one of the last things impacted. Imagine being sentenced to prison or losing your children or your home on the decision of AI?

I am a barrister practising exclusively in family law. I am a court based advocate. I am
not complacent or arrogant enough to say my work could never be replicated by AI. But I do think it’s still a very long way off.

Nursery workers
childminders.

I think the worry of AI is blown out of proportion tbh. It is largely able to do to repetitive, predictable tasks in many jobs, it's a tool that'll help a lot of jobs rather than eradicate human need across all sectors.

There are still huge issues around accuracy so anything that heavily relies on fact and having some human intervention for decision making will always be important, especially where there is a big impact on a person (legal and medical advice/care for example). Lower level roles in creative industries are likely more vulnerable, marketing and that kind of thing. That said I think jobs will change rather than disappear in large numbers across the board.

Health care assistants, carers, nurses, doctors.

AI and robots are good at jobs that are repetitive or text-based. They are very made at jobs requiring precise motor skills and variable actions. So bathroom fitter (in existing houses) and hairdresser and v hard to do with a robot. Most 2year olds have better motor skill and more common sense.

But things are changing so fast that you just can't predict what will matter in 10 years time.

There was a really interesting thing on the radio (4 I think) about AI and medicine, basic message was that it outperformed GP’s as it didn’t have human prejudice, didn’t get bored or distracted…still a long way away and im sure will always need a qualified medical person supervising, but really, I can’t see many professions that wont be touched by AI in some way.

I think the main thing is to keep yourself abreast of changes in your industry, embrace change early where possible, and be flexible. As a human race, it wouldn't make much sense for us to allow ourselves to be made completely redundant, how would we actually pay for life?? How would government/taxes work if no one is actually working? Of course if the robots just take over, then we don't have much choice 😂, but I don't think that will happen...

I think most people don’t actually know the intricacies of other peoples’ occupations and professions so you’d need to ask those working in each field! I personally don’t see why AI or automation wouldn’t impact on most of the jobs you’ve listed. And innovation in the design industry (possibly AI led) because roofs and plumbing systems etc are pretty antiquated and surely we could improve them

Being a scientist.

AIs don't know how to ask the next question.

Huge growth in scientists developing and using machine learning methods at the moment.

100% agree with you. As a tax guru, your first ever AI was a Casio? Am I correct?

In which case your clients have expected more from you every decade since the 1960s? AI will not change that.