The Future Isn’t Jobless and Never Has Been

The paranoia regarding the future of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and automation needs to stop. Every industrial and technical revolution in history opened humans to unlimited opportunities for applying their talent and creativity. Not that specific jobs don’t disappear – of course they do. But those jobs are replaced by new jobs.

As I look around my office today and review our work, it’s all new! I watch and present on our AppleTV, we listen to music on our Amazon Echo, we’ve developed multiple mobile apps for clients, we have infographic programs for clients, this week we helped two major clients with complex organic search issues, I’m publishing this on a content management system, and we’re promoting the articles via social media.

The fact is, I never dreamed even 15 years ago that I’d have my digital marketing agency and would be helping clients navigate marketing online. The path to the future isn’t getting thinner and thinner; it’s opening up wider and wider! Each stage of automation enables a new stage of evolution and innovation. While we do a ton of ideation and creative work for our clients, much of our day is spent moving data, setting up systems, and executing. If we can minimize those elements, we can create so much more.

Our challenge, especially in the United States, is that we’re educating and preparing our students for jobs that are going extinct. We need a new system to prepare the next generations to hit the ground running on these new technologies.

For the last month, as an example, I’ve been helping my daughter with her HTML homework. I’ve been teaching her CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. But, as a PR professional, these talents are useless. Understanding them is one thing, but the chances of my daughter ever writing a line of code in her career are minimal. She’ll be utilizing content management systems. I wish her lessons were an overview of the technology and understanding of how marketing platforms integrate so she understood the capabilities of those systems… not how to build them.

15 Jobs That Didn’t Exist 30 Years Ago

Here’s a list of 15 jobs that didn’t exist 30 years ago:

• App Developer: Develops applications for mobile devices and PCs, taking advantage of the demand for apps on iOS and Android.
• Blogger: Professional bloggers promote or review products for companies or brands, while some achieve fame with their own product lines and book deals.
• Chief Listening Officer: Monitors and reports on a company’s communication with customers, looking for ways to improve interactions, particularly on social media.
• Drone Operator: Operates drones, which are increasingly used by organizations for various purposes, including delivery services.
• Genetic Counselor: Assess the risk of genetic disorders or birth defects in individuals or families and pass this information to healthcare professionals.
• Information Security Analyst: In charge of finding security flaws and implementing policies to protect sensitive information online.
• Nutritionist: With a focus on ‘eating clean,’ nutritionists help people make better dietary choices, often operating in a virtual capacity.
• Offshore Wind Farm Engineer: These engineers design and construct offshore wind farms, requiring expertise in civil or structural engineering.
• SEO Specialist: Responsible for ensuring a company’s website ranks well in search engine results through technical on-site work and creative content.
• Social Media Manager: Manages a company’s presence on social media platforms, incorporating social media into marketing strategies.
• Sustainability Director: Reduces an organization’s impact on the environment by using resources more responsibly and ethically.
• User Experience Designer: Ensures a pleasant and smooth user experience with technology, which is vital for e-commerce sites.
• Virtual Assistant: These individuals provide remote assistance for business owners, working from home and connecting with clients online.
• Web Analyst: Analyzes website data to improve performance and fix bugs, contributing to an action plan for business improvement.
• Zumba Instructor: Zumba’s popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, and instructors are required to undergo a certification process to teach this dance fitness program at gyms.

These jobs have emerged in response to technological advancements, changing consumer behavior, and new industry demands over the past few decades.