As we develop artificial intelligence, it is uncertain what will happen to the future of jobs. Economists from Oxford University, Dr. Carl Frey and Dr. Michael Osborne predict that 40% of jobs will be lost to automation. A survey done by the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Software and Society illustrates that academia expect artificial intelligence devices to be a part of a company’s board of directors by 2026. In my opinion, one of the most crucial skills required for the future is adaptability as with the evolving technology and hence careers, being able to adjust to new conditions with the same skill sets is beneficial towards the individual.
Creativity is another critical skill needed by the forthcoming labour force as robots are able to do things much faster than humans yet as of now cannot think as innovatively. People management and coordinating with others will also be key to future jobs to be able to arrive at an informed consensus . Cognitive flexibility is a critical skill which encompasses many of the other skills in it as well. This represents one’s ability to shift thoughts and adapt his or her behaviour to a changing environment. Scientifically speaking, cognitive flexibility refers to the brain’s ability to transition from thinking about one concept to another( Mental Health Daily). In addition to improving a person’s ability to adapt, cognitive flexibility also contributes to improved brain functioning as a whole. Individuals with higher cognitive ability tend to have better fluency and comprehension in reading as well as higher intellectual knowledge. In the technological evolving world, this will be key to moving forward the labour force. As mentioned by one of my teachers when presenting a quote, she asserted that despite machines speeding up much more than humans, it is humans that in the first place taught the machines to behave in that manner. Hence, even in the future, if machines extend even beyond human abilities, it is essential to realise that humans were the driving force in that.
