How Many Jobs Will Be Lost To 'technology'?

[EDDIE51]

There was a newspaper piece a few days ago headed 'Robots will take 15,000 jobs a year' or something similar. It started me thinking, just how many manual jobs will be left in 25 or 50 years and how will we cope?
Some thoughts so far
Driverless trains > Technology already exists
Driverless cars/taxis > Technology rapidly being developed
Accountants > Estimates are that over 90% of accountancy jobs can be computerised
Shop Workers > Online ordering getting a higher % every year
Farm Workers > just seen on TV program that a picker, sorter, cleaner and integrated packing system can replace almost all veg and fruit picking / packing jobs. Also a weed detector/remover that replaces a 30 strong weeding gang is now on sale.
Aircraft > pilots replaced by computer control. This already exists but again union pressure prevents introduction. Remember 80% of all aircraft accidents are due to 'pilot error' computers will not make such errors (same for cars)
How many more ?

[DaisyNonna]

Computers crash

[tonyav]

Robots have been taking manual jobs for years in industry, EDDIE. Especially the car industry.

[EDDIE51]

The veg picker /cleaner /sorter and the weed detector/ remover are both due to computer recognition systems that can identify a particular vegetable (carrots was the example) or plant against any others and only target the exact plant/ veg needed. It can identify weeds in a field of almost any crop and remove them, a job thought impossible other than by a human just two years ago!

[EDDIE51]

Daisy Nonna, Computers can be made crash proof! and fail safe
tonyav Yes exactly, but the rate of 'takeover' is set to increase exponentially Very soon!! .

[tonyav]

but the rate of 'takeover' is set to increase exponentially Very soon!! .


Yes EDDIE, I believe it will.

[ummmm]

Accountancy? How?

[EDDIE51]

^^ It was in the newspaper artical that accountancy jobs would be virtually eliminated within 10 years due to computerised systems. I don't know enough to make a personal judgement on it. Just reporting what I read.

[EDDIE51]

This link agrees software will replace accountants very soon
http://www.accountingweb.com/technology/accounting-software/can-software-really-replace-accountants
Accoutants will simply not be needed !

[ummmm]

Eddie...I work in accounts. I cannot see how accountants can ever be replaced. We have account packages that make things easier but how are computers going to know the tax laws? I mean I sit at work looking at the crap my boss has bought and try and book keep it. Who the hell would want a computer that might say 'computer says no'

[Old_Geezer]

Isn't much of accountancy about applying rules to financial data ? If so then that's the sort of thing computers do well. Human input would be needed to code changes to the rules and I'm sure there will be a need for imaginative interpretation etc.. But I could see a large proportion being automated. Similarly for medical diagnosis; and when the tech can use robotic limbs and cameras to perform the examination the GP may not even be needed to type in the symptoms. HUNVNS here we come ?

[ummmm]

How is a computer going to sort out the receipts?

[TWR]

Robots build cars,
Computers design Cars and many other things,
There would be No Way I would get a Un piloted Plane ( The Hudson!!!)

Are we Doomed? I'm glad I'm on the way out.

[waterboatman]

Can't argue with that TWR!

[douglas9401]

There's no way on Earth that any government could have some of the roasters currently in employment sitting at home with even more time to think up scary stuff instead of carrying out the 'vital' tasks of middle management.
In my experience an awful lot of jobs are just CBT trying to keep a lid on things.

[Quoi]

...but without the labour costs everything will be so cheap wont it?

[Old_Geezer]

Receipts will be electronic.

[-Talbot-]

But will robots do the dirty jobs the lazy British won't do?

[Old_Geezer]

Meanwhile receipts are a data entry task.

[RATTER15]

My accountant ran an office with for 4 junior accountants, he now runs the same business from an office at home by himself with 2 computers.