Automation, Outsourcing, Education and the Future of Employment

In the rapidly evolving business landscape, enterprises and outsourcing companies face a complex interplay between automation, outsourcing, and the future of employment. While the benefits of automation are widely recognized, both enterprises and outsourcing providers have been reluctant to fully embrace it, fearing the impact on their revenue and workforce.

One key concern for enterprises is the perceived risk of fully automating business processes, which could negatively impact quality and customer satisfaction. Enterprises are often hesitant to relinquish human oversight and control, even when the outsourced activities are separate from their core operations. This reluctance stems from a fear of losing the flexibility and responsiveness that human employees provide, as well as concerns about the reliability and transparency of automated systems. Similarly, outsourcing companies are wary of investing heavily in automation due to the potential revenue impact, worried that reducing the need for human labor could make their core services less valuable to clients, potentially leading to increased margins and in the same time lower revenue negatively impacting share value.

However, these concerns can be addressed through a combination of technological advancements, regulatory frameworks, and strategic planning.? Advancements in artificial intelligence and robotics are steadily improving the reliability, transparency, and flexibility of automated systems, alleviating some of the concerns around quality and control.? Additionally, governments can play a role in shaping the transition by implementing policies that incentivize responsible automation and support workers affected by these changes.

Enterprises and outsourcing companies can also take proactive steps to manage the impact of automation on employment. By investing in upskilling and reskilling programs, they can help their workforce adapt to the changing demands of the job market, ensuring that employees remain competitive and able to contribute in the face of technological disruption (Wahab et al., 2021).

The rise of AI and robotics is likely to have a significant impact on the job market in the coming years. While some job functions may become obsolete, new types of jobs will emerge that require a combination of technical skills, creativity, and social intelligence(Faishal et al., 2023). Governments, enterprises, and individuals will need to work together to navigate this transition, ensuring that the benefits of automation are shared equitably and that workers are supported during this period of profound change(Hawksworth et al., 2018).

In conclusion, the reluctance of enterprises and outsourcing companies to fully automate business processes is understandable but can be addressed through a strategic and collaborative approach. By embracing the potential of automation while also investing in their workforce, these organizations can position themselves for success in the face of technological disruption and secure a more prosperous future for all.

Unlike the industrial revolution, modern automation driven by AI and robotics is likely to have a more profound impact on white-collar workers than on blue-collar workers. Differences from prior episodes of automation also include the shift towards platform business models, where the link between establishments and firms becomes more fluid.? Ultimately, the successful navigation of this transition will require a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including government, industry, and individuals, to ensure a future of shared prosperity and sustainable growth.

Time is not on individuals and government side, the industrial revolution allowed individuals decades to get ready and retrain, the AI and robotics revolution is happening much faster and on a larger scale. steps must be taken quickly from early childhood to adult education to retrain, reskill and prepare the workforce for the changing job market and to find ways to minimize the negative impact on employment and social cohesion.

These are some of the steps governments must take to get ahead of this transition:

1) Heavily invest in STEM education from early childhood to university level to build the foundation for the workforce of the future.

2) Establish regulatory frameworks that incentivize businesses to automat responsibly while supporting workers impacted by automation.

3) Work closely with industry to understand the changing skill demands and tailor education/training programs accordingly.

4) Implement robust social safety nets and income support programs to cushion the impact on displaced workers.

5) Explore new models of work and employment that leverage the benefits of automation while protecting worker rights and wellbeing.

Businesses on the other hand can take the following steps:

1) Proactively invest in upskilling and res killing programs to prepare their workforce for the changing job market.

2) Collaborate with government and academic institutions to shape the future of education and training.

3) Adopt a responsible approach to automation, balancing productivity gains with the needs of their workforce and customers.

4) Explore new business models and organizational structures that leverage the benefits of automation while nurturing human talent.

5) Transparently communicate the impact of automation on the workforce and work with employees to manage the transition.

Individuals will also need to take an active role in this transition by:

1) Continuously acquiring new skills and knowledge to remain competitive in the job market.

2) Embracing lifelong learning and being open to retraining and career pivots.

3) Advocating for policies and programs that support workers affected by automation.

4) Developing a diverse set of skills, including technical, creative, and social abilities, to thrive in the evolving job market.

5) Exploring entrepreneurship and freelance opportunities that leverage the benefits of automation.

By taking a comprehensive and collaborative approach, we can harness the power of AI and robotics to drive economic growth and prosperity, while ensuring that the benefits are shared equitably, and the risks are mitigated. improvements in AI and generative AI technology can be used to support the retraining of individuals for the new and coming economy, where individuals require social, creative, and emotional intelligence to become more valuable.

Governments, enterprises, and individuals must work together to navigate this transition and ensure that the benefits of automation are shared equitably and that workers are supported during this period of profound change. Imagine closing the education gap by providing a personal AI tutor for every child and adult, offering customized guidance and retraining on the skills of the future. This could be a game-changer in ensuring everyone is prepared for the changes ahead.

As today's students enter the workforce, they will join a labor market that has undergone a major shift from previous generations and been radically reshaped by advances in AI(Wang & Lester, 2023). AI holds not merely the potential to disrupt the labor market, but it is clear that it will radically reshape what jobs are available, how they will be performed, and how workers should be prepared for them. Therefore, government and enterprises should invest heavily in generative AI in education and training areas to avoid a lost generation of frustrated individuals that could destabilize society(Fisher et al., 2023).

The change is required in all stages of education, AI can be used as an accelerator for individual in all levels from preschool to elementary school to high school, university should be eliminated and replaced by on the job training and people should be allowed as individuals to rise to the highest level their intelligence and hard work can take them, the benefits of using AI is the fact that you are only compared to yourself and are allowed to be stretched and grow individually.

While the balance depends on the individual, the institution, and the degree, most students expect higher education will provide them with two broad classes of benefit. The first is better positioning in the job market, including employability and income. The second is an improved mind, including knowledge, skills, and abilities. The advent of a world with generative AI complicates the ability of educators to deliver on both benefits.? Educators and policymakers can leverage the transformative potential of Generative AI to create a future-ready education system that caters to learners' diverse needs and aspirations in the dynamic digital age by thoughtfully navigating these challenges. not only that, but this will also dramatically reduce cost and will allow individual to make the most of what nature and nurture provided them, leveling the playing field and allowing individuals to excel in meritocracy-based way of advancement. Incorporating generative AI into education represents a paradigm shift in pedagogical approaches, creating unprecedented opportunities for personalized and compelling learning experiences. Through a comprehensive examination of the literature, expert opinions, surveys, and case studies, this study has illuminated the immense potential and obstacles associated with incorporating Generative AI in educational settings (Mello et al., 2023) (Kadaruddin, 2023)(Bowles & Kruger, 2023).

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References

Bowles, D C., & Kruger, J S. (2023, June 1). Generating Employable, Intelligent Graduates in a World With Generative AI: Thoughts for Educators. SAGE Publishing, 9(2), 75-77. https://doi.org/10.1177/23733799231175171

Faishal, M., Mathew, S., Neikha, K., Pusa, K., & Zhimomi, T. (2023, June 30). The future of work: AI, automation, and the changing dynamics of developed economies. GSC Online Press, 18(3), 620-629. https://doi.org/10.30574/wjarr.2023.18.3.1086

Fisher, E., Flynn, M A., Pratap, P., & Vietas, J A. (2023, June 24). Occupational Safety and Health Equity Impacts of Artificial Intelligence: A Scoping Review. Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute, 20(13), 6221-6221. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136221

Hawksworth, J., Berriman, R., & Goel, S. (2018, February 5). Will robots really steal our jobs? An international analysis of the potential long term impact of automation. https://apo.org.au/node/133751

Kadaruddin, K. (2023, August 2). Empowering Education through Generative AI: Innovative Instructional Strategies for Tomorrow's Learners. , 4(2), 618-625. https://doi.org/10.56442/ijble.v4i2.215

Mello, R F., Freitas, E L S X., Pereira, F D., Cabral, L D S., Tedesco, P., & Ramalho, G. (2023, January 1). Education in the age of Generative AI: Context and Recent Developments. Cornell University. https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2309.12332

Wahab, S N., Rajendran, S D., & Yeap, S P. (2021, September 30). Upskilling and reskilling requirement in logistics and supply chain industry for the fourth industrial revolution. Poznan School of Logistics, 17(3), 399-410. https://doi.org/10.17270/j.log.2021.606

Wang, N., & Lester, J C. (2023, June 1). K-12 Education in the Age of AI: A Call to Action for K-12 AI Literacy. Springer Science+Business Media, 33(2), 228-232. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40593-023-00358-x