Technology is taking over
DO YOU remember (if you are old enough) how back in the ’60s and ’70s we used to imagine what life would be like in the 21st century? Colonies on Mars, flying cars and robots to do the housework were some of the dreams. Well, we haven’t quite got those things yet, but technology has come a long way. We are getting close to landing humans on Mars, flying cars of a sort do exist but never really caught on (which is probably a good thing) and we still have to either do our own housework or pay somebody else to do it for us.
What we did get are the personal computer, the internet, mobile phones, tablet devices and a level of connectivity that is quite mind-blowing. You can even get a fridge that connects to the internet, has cameras to let you monitor the contents from anywhere on your mobile device, an app to keep track of use-by dates and another app to help you keep it fully stocked.
Technology is everywhere and growing at an amazing rate.
It is also taking jobs that are/were done by humans.
If you phone your credit card company, chances are your call will be answered by a computer. If you want to do something relatively simple like make a payment, you don’t even need to speak to a human. It’s much the same story with your bank or mortgage supplier.
Jobs that were once done by humans are now being done by computers. It’s great for profitability.
If you go into NatWest in the High Street, you will find that the long row of cashiers has gone, replaced by four machines, two for withdrawing cash and two for paying in cash and cheques. To make a deposit or withdrawal, you do not need to interact with a human, except perhaps the one stationed to push you to using the new machines instead of the couple of cashiers that are left.
I recently read an interesting article from the Jersey Evening Post. It seems that Jersey is anticipating losing 10% of its finance sector jobs to artificial intelligence. It might be reasonable to assume that the same will happen here. Unfortunately, computers don’t pay income tax.
With a chronic shortage of GPs, the NHS is developing a ‘virtual doctor’, essentially a computerised diagnostic tool for humans.
I think we all know that the retail sector is in big trouble – nowadays the internet is king, with massively more choice, usually better prices, often significantly better, delivered to your door in a few days with no need to try to park or dodge your way through the hustle and bustle.
Co-op has closed its Homemaker store, HMV has gone, we’ve already lost Jessops and there will be more.
On the Bridge, plans to rejuvenate retail at Leale’s Yard were scaled back significantly before the project stalled completely and the old Quayside building remains undeveloped despite being a prime location. It appears these things are no longer viable.
If electric vehicles become the dominant form of personal transport, as looks likely, there are going to be massive job losses in the fuel supply network. Everyone from the people who extract the stuff from the ground right through to the people who retail the fuel to the motorist is at risk. It’s going to be quite a problem for the governments of the developed nations.
Even here in Guernsey, with a much reduced demand for fuel, there will be many jobs lost and businesses at risk.
In the building industry, progress is being made with 3D printing technology. There are many buildings around the world that have been constructed in this way and it won’t be long before the technique is regarded as normal. Whilst this probably won’t remove the need for human labour on building sites any time soon, it will reduce the number required.
There was a fascinating piece on the telly the other day about modern computerised milking parlours. The cows have 24-hour access to get milked whenever they feel the need and it will even give them a back rub if they want one. Fully automated, no humans required. If the machine fails three times in a row, it sends a message to the farmer’s phone. Whichever way you look at it, the machines are on the rise, not perhaps in the apocalyptic manner of a sci-fi movie, but they are displacing humans in the workplace.
A report by the McKinsey Global Institute found that up to one fifth of the global workforce could be affected by robotic automation. Potentially 800m. jobs could be lost by 2030.
I fully understand that the island needs to import labour to keep the wheels of industry turning – it has always been that way and probably will continue to be for many years to come. That’s fine so long as it does not block our own folk from progressing with their careers and gaining access to affordable housing. What troubles me is that there are still a number of deputies in our current States who firmly believe that increasing the size of our population is the answer to all our future problems. In a rapidly changing world, I would suggest that this is a course of action that may backfire badly and leave their future selves with a major headache to solve.
MARTYN TORODE,
La Millaeux Maisaon,
La Route du Braye,
Vale,
GY3 5QS.