By: Haley Knowles, Contributing Writer
“Automation has been around for a while, but we are now dealing with the advancement of new machine learning,” says Associate Professor of Computer Science and Computer Information Systems, Mubarak Banisakher, who has been following many different shows and interviews with CEOs of companies who are interested in Automation.
Automation is known as a system or process that requires little to no human intervention. It is in every aspect of daily life, from phone applications to thermostats, to coffee makers to software that automates repetitive tasks in accounting, banking, and even insurance.
Automation in one touch coffee maker. (Source: Creative Commons)
Professor Banisakher acknowledges that there is a fear of people losing jobs to automation; however, they will just require a shift to a new skill of learning. Automation will indeed affect the workforce and current job market: as they are now responsible for learning different and new skills that will come with Automation.
Automation will create more jobs, but a program should be implemented to ensure people receive the proper jobs. (Source: Twitter)
“Jobs are in jeopardy always,” says Associate Professor of Computer Information Systems, Bryan Reagan. He explained that the job market has been changing over time and, “the jobs that may be in jeopardy are simply the jobs that people no longer want.”
Automation is making jobs easier for employees of bigger companies. For example, Professor Reagan explained how bookkeeping jobs have diminished due to automation, whereas, other Accounting jobs are increasing.
“Companies now need to re-train their employees for the shift of job roles, as older jobs are being replaced,” Reagan stated. Additionally, he suggested that this is not a bad thing, as it will have a positive effect in the long run for these companies.
Similarly, Pedro Quintao, a Cyber Security Junior, also believes that automation is useful. He spoke about automation from the aspect of manual jobs like clothes making and on child labor in China.
“There is danger in those jobs – fabric and cotton spinning. People are at risk of losing fingers, and even hands sometimes,” said Quintao.
Quintao also explained that since those jobs were risky, robots were made to do those jobs, and do them “seven times” more efficiently. Not only are robots taking some of these hazardous jobs, but they are making it better than it would’ve been if a human did it. Furthermore, he explained that China is still utilizing child labor in certain jobs. Nevertheless, robots are also taking over these jobs.
“Automation is liberating individuals from child labor or tedious and endangering jobs,” expressed Professor Reagan. As computer software develops, automation for different industries, and every job that involves some form of automation, will become more effective or efficient.
Ultimately, Professor Banisakher explained that “Automation is offering an opportunity for change and learning skills to adapt to the new and upcoming technology.” As technology advances, the world around will also advance: from the simplest things in daily life like ice makers to automation software that allows one to pay bills on the go, or software like Amazon Alexa that can order groceries.
