It is becoming increasingly evident that technology, robots and automated cars are transforming the job landscape for Australians. Popular opinion seems to be that these technologies are taking over blue-collar jobs, however, according to an expert from Canada, white collar workers have more to fear. Dr Andrew Miller, who is visiting Australia to speak at the Urban Development Institute’s Congress in Perth on Tuesday, said that while job in physical labour are likely to remain safe, those who form the bulk of their working day spending time typing and inputting data into a computer have a lot to worry about.
Dr Miller stated that people who work with their hands won’t necessarily be replaced as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is not as capable of ultimately taking over their job titles. He adds that AI can still have a massive effect on how work is done, with the introduction of ChatGPT and other AI algorithms allowing humans to ‘type’ without actually doing the typing themselves. He believes that the idea of being replaced by a robot is scaremongering, as there is ‘all sorts of work that still needs to be done in logistics and shipping’ which are areas AI will not be as effective as a human.
A company called Wing is already delivering up to 250 items from Coles in Canberra using drones, however, Dr Miller believes that robot delivery will better suit cities such as Sydney and Melbourne due to their more dense population. He suggested that cities need to reallocate their roads and footpaths to make them more difficult for private cars to manoeuvre while simultaneously offering a way for the automated technology to occupy its own space. He believes that cities can learn from Paris, Barcelona and other global cities who are also developing ways to become more pedestrian and automated technology-friendly.
Furthermore, due to the increasing development of Robo-taxis being used in places such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, Australians should soon see the progression of this technology into their own cities if regulation, careful planning and development are implemented correctly. Dr Miller has made it very clear that city governments must work with the state to create an efficient and safe environment for robots to deliver and travel.
Overall, it is evident that the future of work for Australians is changing with the prominence of technology, robots and automated cars, but with the proper development, planning and regulation, it could be a successful transition from private cars to robo-taxis and from human delivery to robotic delivery, without it necessarily leading to job losses.
