Many professions will not disappear because of artificial intelligence, but will change their meaning, pointed out Dr. Spartak Keremidchiev, professor at the Department of “Enterprise Economics“ at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, at the “Green Transition Forum“ (Green Transition Forum 6.0).
According to him, one of the big speculations after we entered the fourth industrial revolution is that there will be a collapse in the labor market - entire professions will disappear, and others will be automated. Keremidchiev said that this is the wrong approach. A profession changes not only when there is a technical possibility, but also economic feasibility, he believes, quoted by BTA.
In his opinion, even if 2-3 percent cannot be automated in a profession, this will change it, but will not erase it. Keremidchiev gave the example of pilots who fly the plane for no more than 15 minutes during a flight, the rest of the time the machine flies on autopilot, but these 15 minutes are key because they are during takeoff and landing.
According to Keremidchiev, there are several determinants that will determine the list of professions of the future. First of all, what will be the economy - what will be produced and how will it be produced. The labor market will also be decisive - what new professions will be sought and what will be the balance between work and free time.
According to Keremidchiev, in recent years people have been working less, have more free time, more opportunities for remote work, for flexible working hours.
Thanks to the productivity that will improve with robots and other substitutes, the forecasts are that people in the future will work 3-4 days, Keremidchiev pointed out. He added that more free time will lead to the development of more professions in this direction.
Keremidchiev also said that global challenges related to climate, health, inequality, food security will lead to new professions.
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According to him, a key question is how the education system will change, because the current one is connected to old technologies and methods of production. We learn too much, but we do not learn how to learn, but we accumulate knowledge, which will now be accessible with one click, commented Keremidchiev.
According to him, people in the future will change several professions - they will be multi-professionals. In addition, there will be the practice of several professions simultaneously or sequentially, so the focus will shift from educational to vocational training.
A total reform of education must begin, so that basic skills are learned at school and university, and practical skills are learned on the spot, said Keremidchiev. According to him, children nowadays are learning something that will not work, but they must be taught to respond to dynamics, to be adaptable and to have skills for continuous learning.