13 ms·

>Among the jobs most likely to be automated out of existence are those whose functions are the most similar to computers, including jobs like computer systems a

>Among the jobs most likely to be automated out of existence are those whose functions are the most similar to computers, including jobs like computer systems administrators, network architects, and computer support specialists, 60–70 percent of whose functions could be automated using current technology. >Even the brainiest are not safe. In the finance industry, in recent years, we have seen the development of machine learning tools that can perform in minutes the same analysis for which a human computer science major required hours or even days. You can guess which of those resources was less expensive to retain. EDIT: I'll note that the article cited to support the second point “The Future of Employment: How Susceptible are Jobs to Computerisation" doesn't acutally refer to "Computer science majors". It lists programmers having a moderate (not high!) chance of automation... and also lists system administrators as having amongst the least automatable jobs of all. Then to support the point that system administrators would have their jobs automated a different paper was cited. I'm not sure how seriously I can take the author with such clear evidence of contradicting the articles it cited and cherry picking evidence to apparently support a point the author had in mind before these papers were ever read. Bluntly the article smacks of outright dishonesty obscured by citing a huge number of lengthy research papers... Not sure if I buy this take. I received a laptop in school and back then this exact analysis was true and indeed the jobs of administrators, network architects, and computer support administrators was largely automated. So those jobs are far less prevalent than in my childhood right? Except that's not what happened and the jobs became more prevalent as improved automation made computers cheaper and more useful. I'm not holding my breath over the imminent collapse of jobs involving computers simply because the current work can be automated by... people using computers. Sure this argument is undeniably true if you think computing will stay exactly like it is now except the current jobs will be automated and no new jobs will be created. My crystal ball is as foggy as anybody elses though. Maybe we will hit the singularity and in that case computing jobs will likely be the very first to be completely replaced.

SteveGoob 7y ago
^^ These parts of the article also bothered me, and tainted many of his other possibly/probably valid points. > ...we have seen the development of machine learning tools that can perform in minutes the same analysis for which a human computer science major required hours or even days. Statements like this just demonstrate an obvious lack of understanding of how the field of computer science works. Guess who developed those machine learning tools? A machine learning engineer _who more than likely studied CS._ It's just hard to trust the author on other topics where I'm less familiar, seeing the data clearly driven toward a predetermined narrative. It reeks of cherrypicking to me, regardless of how well justified it is or isn't.

SteveGoob 7y ago

^^ These parts of the article also bothered me, and tainted many of his other possibly/probably valid points. > ...we have seen the development of machine learning tools that can perform in minutes the same analysis for which a human computer science major required hours or even days. Statements like this just demonstrate an obvious lack of understanding of how the field of computer science works. Guess who developed those machine learning tools? A machine learning engineer _who more than likely studied CS._ It's just hard to trust the author on other topics where I'm less familiar, seeing the data clearly driven toward a predetermined narrative. It reeks of cherrypicking to me, regardless of how well justified it is or isn't.