Creativity, the Last Bastion...Automating Your Job
“Software is eating the world…”
- Marc Andreessen
Why can your job be not automated? Easier the work, faster & easier it will be to replace you or automate your job. Advanced artificial intelligence is already enabling it. Creativity will be the only refuge and the last bastion of humans, as the machines (software and robots) take over (no longer science fiction).
And if not the machines, in a connected global world — people across the world are/will be breathing down your neck for your job and will continue to compete for it. The simple economic fundamentals of market efficiency and supply and demand have not changed, but the scale of the economy has. It is no longer an economy of a country but an economy-of-the-world aka a global economy.
Easier the work, faster & easier it will be to replace you or automate your job.
You can no longer be assured of keeping a job that can be so easily outsourced or automated. Eventually, the job will go to the person, software/machine, that will be able to do it in less time, at a lower cost (and yes, they are of similar or better quality), irrespective of their geographical location. The global pandemic has accelerated this transition. At my recent venture, we are already automating home improvement analyses and design, which requires specialized knowledge. For us the automation drives two main benefits - one is the obvious reduced costs (by over 90%), and the other is eliminating risk of inconsistencies caused by having multiple analysts and designers - their differing (even minute differences add up) analyses methodologies, data entry and interpretation of those results.
So What Can You Do?Stop, think, and ask if you or your work is really adding value. Is it unique, irreplaceable, and brings forth the best of your experiences (including education) and abilities? If not, strive for it to be so or transition to the work that ensures it. Be proactive and creative.
Is your work unique, irreplaceable, and brings forth the best of your experiences (including education) and abilities?
It is a lot easier and a lot less work to not think for yourself, not push your mind to innovate or create, not think of new and unprecedented ideas, and just do what is asked of you. And as you are busy following that easy path - you are actually racing towards being obsolete. Enjoy that downhill rat race!
_____
CREATIVITY SECRETS
How do you ensure that your work is unique and leverages your creativity?…learn more in the book “Creativity Secrets”
The above first appeared in a 2013 blog and the revised version is an excerpt from the book: “CREATIVITY SECRETS: Creativity & Innovation Secrets for Design | Business | Art”, 2018, by ABHAY (Wharton grad, Artist, Entrepreneur). www.CreativitySecrets.net