Australian workers unprepared for impact of artificial intelligence

More than half of Aussie workers remain sceptical about the impact of AI – an attitude experts call ‘naive’. See how to get ready.

More than half of Aussie workers risk being left behind unless they start preparing for the effects of automation.

Exclusive research by workplace design consultancy Future X Collective reveals just one in five workers are upskilling in preparation for their role to be affected by artificial intelligence, while one in 10 are considering a career change.

But more than 52 per cent of Australian workers remain sceptical about the impact of automation and do not believe their jobs will be impacted – a stance experts describe as naive.

It’s happening

The “subtle” changes brought about by technology to date mean many workers have failed to recognise the importance of becoming more digitally agile, Future X Collective co-founder Angela Ferguson says.

“It (technological advances) is possibly not as in our face as we expected it to be,” Ferguson says.

“We equated automation with robots and we don’t see robots walking down the street.

“But automation is happening already. There’s a lot of exploration going on that we are not even aware of.

“People definitely need to be prepared because if you don’t keep up-to-date then there’s a risk that your role will start to be reduced.”

Young workers better prepared

Young Australians are better preparing for automation, the research shows.

A quarter of those aged between 18-24 years are expecting AI to replace parts of their job in the future and more than a third already upskilling in different areas to compensate.

Ferguson says upskilling in areas where work cannot be undertaken by computers is key to future-proofing careers.

“I would start with interpersonal skills because, as the world becomes more tech-centric, the value of face-to-face interaction and our ability to communicate with one another will only increase,” she says.

“While technology can efficiently execute repetitive, well-structured and mechanical tasks, most jobs require critical thinking, emotional intelligence and stakeholder engagement which, unfortunately for robots, is not an aspect that can be replaced easily.”

She says technical skills, particularly in programming and app, website and AI development, will also be important.

Women at greater risk

Sandya Baratha Raj, data science director at Faethm by Pearson, says the roles most at risk from automation, including sales assistants, bookkeepers, account clerks and receptionists, are predominantly undertaken by women.

“The good thing is that we know (the roles set to be impacted) in advance and we can therefore be proactive in how we are going to manage it,” Raj says.

“Look at what are your transferable skills are and (upskill in areas) that will still be in demand.

“In a lot of technical roles and … also a lot of those healthcare roles, because of that human element, the negative impacts (of automation) will be a lot lower.”

Sue Ellson had a deliberate strategy to ensure career longevity.

Strategy to stick around

For Sue Ellson, deciding to teach others how to use technology was a deliberate strategy to ensure career longevity.

Along with the personal interaction that comes with teaching – something that cannot be replicated by artificial intelligence – Ellson says continual changes in technology will ensure her skills are always in demand.

“The type of training I’m doing might change (as technology changes) but the work will always be there,” says Ellson, who previously worked in banking and recruitment.

“That’s the principle I worked on when I started (as a trainer) – I wanted to always be able to work.

“So as technology is always changing, there will always be something for people learn.”

Ellson, who runs training sessions for individuals, businesses and community groups, says the nature of her work means she is required to constantly upskill and admits it can be hard to keep up-to-date.

“When you’re in front of the classroom, you’ve got to be smarter than your students because they will pick the IT teeth out of you,” the 57 year old says.

“But I love the work. I love the variety and I love the scope.

“I’ve taught social media, how to build a website – a lot of people the same age as me have stopped learning but there’s plenty of resources out there to learn and it’s important to keep learning and adapting and growing.”