Workforce Without Workers: Top 3 Industries Taken Over by Automation

Automations’ impact on the workforce looms large! This is no longer a futuristic concept — it’s here and it’s transforming industries fast. With robots, machines, and artificial intelligence becoming increasingly sophisticated, workers are beginning to see these advancements as more of a threat to their jobs.

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the “where” and the “how” of industries that are being taken over by automation, and explore the ways it is reshaping the future of work.

1. Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry involves the production of goods using manual labor and machines.

How and Where

Because this industry is known for repetitive tasks, the incorporation of advanced software has decreased amounts of manual labor, for example:

• Car makers such as Tesla and Ford use robots to precisely weld car frames, apply body paint, and assemble doors/windows, directly eliminating assembly line workers.
• Amazon has also deployed over 200,000 robots in its warehouses to automate the process of moving inventory, picking products, and packing orders, resulting in no longer using picker and packer workers.

2. Retail

The retail industry involves sale of goods/services to consumers through various channels, such as online platforms and mobile applications.

How and Where

Retail uses a lot of manual labor. Automation undeniably has increased profitability amongst retailers by reducing labor costs, for example:

• Retail stores, such as Publix, reduce labor costs by incorporating self-checkout systems in stores, which directly eliminates cashiers.
• Amazon is using machine learning algorithms and sensors to predict product demand and optimize/recognize inventory levels, eliminating workers overviewing and manually reordering products.

3. Transportation and Logistics

This industry involves the planning, management, and movement of goods/people across various transportation modes and supply chain networks, from the point of origin to the final destination.

How and Where

This industry has systems that work around the clock without breaks, for example:

• Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc. (Google’s parent company), operates a fleet of autonomous vehicles in areas of the U.S. for ride-hailing services and package delivery. This could potentially eliminate Amazon, USPS, and FedEx drivers along with food delivery drivers from UberEats and DoorDash. That’s a lot of jobs!

As technology advances, the future of work is being redefined. The impact of automation on industries is undeniable and it’s already here! Workers are grappling with the reality of machines that can perform their jobs’ tasks, leading to concerns about the displacement of their jobs. In this article, we have looked at three industries that are being taken over by and provided specific examples of how robots and machines are transforming the work that people do. While the benefits of automation are wonderful, it’s important to consider the potential consequences of these technological advancements and plan for a workforce that can adapt to these changes.