According to the Guardian, about 1.5 million UK workers may lose their jobs due to automation. This relates primarily to women and part-time workers. As reported by the Office of National Statistics of the United Kingdom (ONS), the first victims of the innovation were cashiers in supermarkets: during the period from 2011 to 2017, 25.3% of such jobs were cut.
At present, a number of technology groups are trying to implement artificial intelligence in retail outlets. For example, in 2018, Amazon opened a checkout-free grocery store in Seattle. McDonald's, a popular fast food chain, is also adding self-service ordering kiosks, relieving customers of the need for communication with the restaurant staff.
Other spheres of activity susceptible to automation include laundries, agriculture, and tire shops, where the number of jobs has decreased by 15% or even more. The ONS estimates that workers aged 35 to 39 years can face the potential robotization. “Just 1.3% of people in this age bracket are in roles at high risk of automation,” the ONS said.
Notably, tasks that can be more easily computerised will most likely be replaced by robots. Employees performing more complicated creative projects may not be threatened with robotization of the production at all.
