Dr Noel Brown from UTECH predicts Robots, AI replacing Jamaican Workers by 2020

“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

“How Jamaicans can make US$25 per hour at Home as a Virtual Assistant”. 

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.