Sophisticated software, robotics, automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and changing trends threaten the livelihoods of everyone from taxi drivers and restaurant servers to computer programmers and librarians.
Many of the jobs most likely to disappear are among the last well-paying jobs one can get with only a high school diploma. These roles are the most susceptible to automation.
Few are expected to be hit harder than taxi drivers, who face unemployment not only from driverless vehicles but because of ridesharing apps like Uber as well.
Autopilot features have long supported pilots in the air, however, it’s likely that both humans and cargo will soon be shuttled around in pilotless planes.
Few people will miss hearing from bill collectors, but this middle-class job is already disappearing, thanks to the rise of software and automation that can perform the same task.
Drones can already deliver everything with pinpoint precision. It’s likely that they’ll soon be recalibrated to observe parking offenders, and even deliver tickets.
If you’ve ever called a business and been asked to press buttons for options, you’ve interacted with a computer doing a job that was once done by a human switchboard operator.
Fast-food restaurants are basically assembly lines. Just as robots are beginning to dominate automotive assembly lines, so, too, will the ones that churn out burgers and fries.