Bracing for an Artificial Intelligence Takeover

As the use of robotics increases each decade, workers can become nervous about losing their jobs to artificial intelligence. However, when it comes down to being replaced by robotics or another human, a new study from researchers at the Technical University of Munich in Munich, Germany, found most workers prefer to lose their job to artificial intelligence.

In general, most people say they prefer workers to be replaced by other people, according to a survey of more than 2,000 workers in Europe and North American participating in the study. But when it comes to their own job, surveyed people said they would find it less upsetting to see their position go to a robot instead of another human.

Researchers found that people tend to compare themselves less with machines than with other people. So being replaced with a robot or software is less of a threat to their feelings of self-worth.

These study results can help pinpoint services to best help unemployed workers. In the case of workers replaced by other people, unemployed workers can benefit from services to boast their self-confidence. Workers replaced by robotics, however, can be best served by programs that teach them new skills that will help them work alongside artificial intelligence.

Although there is a drastic increase of technology infiltrating the cleaning industry, currently robotics cannot fulfill cleaning roles on their own. Humans and their artificial intelligence equipment must work together to produce the best results.