“We've
embarked on a digital agenda, where we are looking at providing a more digital
experience for our customers. So within that context, [some] roles will become
redundant, and new roles are being created at the same time. There is a demand
for programmers, data specialists, programme managers in implementing our agile
programme, and we have a need for agile coaches, scrum masters, data interface
designers.”
CEO, NCB Financial
Group, Dennis Cohen, on NCB laying off 200 workers
Get
ready for the rise of machines in the Jamaican workforce. Welcome to the new
world of work in Jamaica and around the world, which will soon see more robots
and AI (Artificial Intelligence) systems in use
At
least this is the opinion of Head, School of Engineering and associate
professor at the University of Technology, Dr Noel Brown, as laid out in the
article “By
2019, 20% of jobs in Jamaica may be done by artificial intelligence”,
published Friday, February 16, 2018 , by Dennise Williams, The Jamaica Gleaner.
He
made his opinions known in a presentation at the JSE (Jamaica Stock Exchange)
Regional Conference at the Pegasus Hotel in early February 2018. He asserted
that jobs in certain sectors that were repetitive and laborious may be ripe for
the application of robotics as Jamaicans may not want to work in these sectors
due to the low wages associated with such labour.
He
then made the bold declaration that by 2019 robotics and artificial
intelligence will impact the following sectors:
1. Agriculture
2. Finance
3. Contact
Centers
So
what exactly are these bold predictions he is making?
Jamaica, Robotics and
AI - Customer Service and Agricultural Jobs in Danger
Dr
Brown predicts up to 20% of Customer Service jobs (read "Call Centers and
Face-to-face Customer Care") will be done by AI systems.
This
is actually already happening as Digicel's Customer Care already uses Wysdom AI
to handle to handle Social Media and Instant Messenger queries as noted in my blog
article entitled “How
Digicel and Wysdom AI will handle BackOffice as AI prepare to take over 24-7
Customer Care”.
In
the agriculture sector, he predicts robotics, coupled with AI, may be used to
do the following repetitive and labour-intensive tasks:
1. Taking
Soil Samples
2. Measuring
moisture levels
3. Measure
weed and insect infestations by using cameras
Collecting
these data metrics would result in a more precisely controlled farm and improve
agricultural output, as it give you the ability to make minute changes that can
improve crop yield, to quote Dr Brown: “We can see where the infusion of
robotics in agriculture will lead to increased productivity, improved crop
yield, pest control, reduction in costs, and reduction in spoilage.”
This
is already actually happening, with drones being used by Agrocaelum and Hi-Pro
to determine these same metrics as reported in my blog
article entitled “Why
Agrocaelum and Hi-Pro herald the JCAA allowing Drone Racing in Jamaica”.
That
info does indeed help with the usage of fertilizer or chemicals, based on the
infrared signature of crops. This helps the farmer can save money on chemicals,
minimizing the waste of chemicals on crops.....and yes, may herald the coming
of Drone racing.
But
it is his predictions about the banking sector that may have many College
Students worried.
Banking Sector and
Robotics - Workers being replaced by Machines and IT Specialists required
Some
of those 20% of Customer Service jobs (read “Call Centers”) will be done by AI
systems may not only just be in call centers, but also in regular face-to-face
customer care interactions, such as in Banks and the Fast Food industry.
Already,
robotics may be slowly taking over the fast Food industry in the US of A as
predicted in my blog
article entitled “Fast
Food Robot taking over by 2017 - How Drones like Amazon and PrimeAir and not
Humanoid Robots will be the first Robots by 2015”.
The
same may be happening in the Banking Sector as well. ATMs have long been
replacing human tellers in providing 24/7 access to funds, with many banks
shutting down. First Global Bank
recently invested in technology to allow for virtual tellers at its Liguanea
branch.
Redundancies
at the bank does necessarily mean that robotic systems such as ATM and AI are
replacing them, as specialized skills will be needed to build and maintain
these systems as deputy CEO, NCB Financial Group, Dennis Cohen, quote: “The
fact is that it is always happening because we are constantly making changes,
and there may be a number today but a bit of a trickle tomorrow.”
Some
of these specialized skills can be used to launch entrepreneurial ventures such
as the case with Blue Dot Data Intelligence as described in my blog
article entitled “How
Blue Dot Media CEBS Platform uses IoT to deliver 15 second Audio Ads in NCB ATM”
.
He
said this in the context of the layoff of some 200 workers...so this is real
and happening.
Combined
with the IoT (Internet of Things) via Tablets, smartphones, microphones,
speakers and cameras, they can measure the heartbeat and track eye patterns of
customers who enter NCB ATM's to determine their true reaction to advertisement
for goods and services.
This
removes the need for bulky paper surveys, making the information as it relates
to the likes and dislikes of customer on hearing a particular add more easily
accessible. The result is that they can more easily target certain NCB ATM with
certain Ads as they know what customer using certain ATMs' prefer.
So with a more IT (Information Technology)
coming to these career fields, does it now mean that University students
wanting to go into these field should reconsider?
Jamaican Student and
Career paths - Upgrade IT Skills and consider Virtual Work from Home
In
a short answer, yes!
This
has long been the case, though, as may University students often choose career
paths that and not strongly established or have a demand for their skills as
pointed out in my blog
article entitled “UOPD
UWI Graduate Trace Study reveals Bad choices, Entrepreneurship and brain-drain
in 2016”.
According
to the UOPD UWI Graduate Trace Study 2015, the career fields that are seeing a
steady demand for graduate are:
1. Education
2. Medicine
3. Engineering
Career
strategist and UWI researcher Dr Carolyn Hayle says technology is coming to
every field. So if you not up to the game, you may have to reconsider entering
that field. As such, she has been advising student to consider the technology
variant of these traditional career fields such as:
1. Financial
technology
2. Real
estate software management
3. Virtual
health
There
is indeed a push towards more Virtual Workers, requiring many Jamaican to start
considering setting up a Home office as explained in my MICO Wars
blog article entitled
These
jobs while offering more personal flexibility, are not steady earners and
require you to be very self-motivated, to quote Dr Hayle: “More jobs are going
online, so people can now work remotely as independent contractors. This may
require that you acquire some new skills: self-assessment, self-motivation,
reliability, and self-discipline. Working remotely has at least two downsides:
1) the unpredictability of income, and (2) no job benefits. However, this gap
provides an opportunity to those offering health insurance coverage to
independent contractors. The skills you need to become a successful independent
worker can be acquired or improved upon at minimal cost. You can practise these
every day.”
So
what can Jamaicans do to prepare, aside from changing our careers!?
Jamaicans and Empathy -
Robotics and AI may usher in UBI for being Jamaican
Still,
us human do have an advantage; empathy.
Those
of us who are skilled at emotional intelligence will still find work in these
career field threatened by Robotics and AI in the coming AI revolution in
Jamaica to quote Dr Hayle: “One of the complaints about artificial intelligence
is that it lacks empathy. It is unlikely that it will ever replace humans in
areas that are underpinned by empathy, such as the healthcare sector. So right
away this is an area in which we can begin to improve our skills”.
Training
Jamaicans to develop our own AI systems is also going to be necessary, as more
home-grown programming and network talent will be needed, seeing as AI may
herald Call Center extinction by 2021 as predicted in my blog
article entitled “Jamaica
Computer Society and Ministry of S.E.T. fears AI will eliminate Call Center
Jobs in 2021”.
Also
innovation in the banking sector may see more use of Mobile money and
cryptocurrencies as Jamaicans avoid going to the bank altogether as predicted
in my Geezam blog
article entitled “How
Western Union and GraceKennedy may use Ripple in GK MPay App”.
And
there is a plus side to AI, as it may push the Government of Jamaica to
introduce UBI (Universal Basic Income), effectively paying Jamaicans simply to
be humans and Jamaican as predicted in my blog
article entitled “How
UWI Lecturer's Fourth Industrial Revolution AI doom will usher in UBI for
Jamaica”.
We
have ample time to prepare for the Robotics and AI revolution, as 2020 is just
2 years away.
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