Subtitles section Play video Print subtitles It’s becoming increasingly clear that the tech revolution is moving faster than anyone expected. For many, automation has made life easier; cars can be built in a few hours rather than a few weeks, money can be dispensed from ATMs at any time of day, you can even check yourself out of a grocery store without human interaction. At the forefront of this technological shift is none other than one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world: Japan. While a number of physical jobs are already being phased out in favor of automation, the next big plateau is replacing positions which require critical thinking, something believed to be unique to humans. But some companies in Japan are making the change with the help of artificial intelligence. Fukoku Mutual Life Insurance is firing 34 workers whose job it is to calculate how much to pay out for insurance claims. In their place will be an AI system based on an information analysis machine created by IBM. Although the initial cost of the machine is high, roughly 1.7 million dollars, the company believes it will save more than a million dollars a year. And Fukoku is not the only company in Japan looking to replace its mental workforce. At least three other similar companies are looking into AI systems to replace intermediaries between the customer and the product. And that kind of makes sense considering that Japan’s population is dropping. From 2010 to 2015 the country lost almost one million people, with a dramatically low birth rate. And nearly a third of the population is over the age of 65. And while humans are dwindling, the ability to automate jobs in Japan is only improving. Japan has one of the highest robot-to-human worker densities in the world, with roughly one robot for every five workers. One data analysis found that artificial intelligence and robots could replace roughly half of the jobs in Japan just within the next ten to twenty years. Around the world, the same rush to automate is ongoing. Reports by the World Economic Forum show that as many as 7 million jobs will be lost to robots in just the next five years in the top 15 countries, which comprise more than half of the world’s workforce. Although every industry would see job loss, it would mostly be concentrated in areas like healthcare, energy, and financial services, and in particular, office administration will likely see the biggest hit. Even today, jobs are dropping off at an alarming rate. On the other hand, certain jobs, in particular, skilled person-to-person careers such as therapy, social services, and perhaps ironically, jobs like data analysis, will likely be safe, and even increase in demand. These first few efforts in Japan may be new, but illustrate a dramatic shift worldwide which, for many, is worrisome. If robots are able to replicate human intelligence, what else is on the table for replacement? Music? Poetry? These activities may seem safe from automation, but there are already signs that is not the case. Computers are already composing music, and twitter bots are creating complex poems. In the end, Japan may not just be leading the way for automation of certain jobs, but perhaps, the automation of humanity. DOMAIN READ: We can’t do episodes like this without our sponsors and this episode is brought to you by Domain DOT COM. If you’re an entrepreneur, innovator, or building a small business, DOMAIN DOT COM is the place to go when that next great idea hits you. Get 20% off Domain Dot Com’s already affordable domain names and web hosting when you use coupon code SEEKER at checkout. When you think domain names, think DOMAIN DOT COM. So what else is being lost in this move to automate everything? Some people are struggling to find work in non-automated areas, others have given up trying entirely. So, what exactly is slowing new job seekers, and what will happen going forward? Find out in this episode. In the next 10 years, less than half of 1 billion job seekers are expected to actually find work. Clearly this situation is terrible, but not only for young people, but the world economy as a whole. Thanks for watching Seeker Daily, don’t forget to like and subscribe for more videos every day!
B1 US domain automation automate robot analysis roughly This Country Is Leading The Robot Revolution 173 20 Darren posted on 2017/02/18 More Share Save Report Video vocabulary