The robots that are coming for our jobs

Over the last two decades the number of robots in workplaces has gone up threefold around the world, to more than 2.2 million, and manufacturing jobs are the most at risk. By 2025, 85 million jobs could be lost or changed because of robots — but almost 100 million new jobs could emerge because of them, according to an analysis from the World Economic Forum. Get ready for a future that involves working alongside — and competing with — robots.

Class discussion: Do you expect to be competing with robots? Why or why not? Are you looking for a career that would be safe from automation? Could advances in artificial intelligence programming also threaten the jobs of “knowledge workers?” Besides building, programming, selling, maintaining and repairing robots, what jobs will be safe? How are you preparing for a changing workplace? Will new technology force you to constantly retrain to stay employed?