Have you ever thought about the possibility that robot can take your job, that you will be no longer needed at work? If not, then you need to start be concerned about that.

It is not a secret that technology develops rapidly fast. Maybe even faster than we think. And as as soon as a new technological feature comes up, one or several positions are disappearing. Mechanization and automation have, of course, been eliminating or drastically reducing employment in various professions for more then two centuries now.

So, is your job at risk of being taken over a smart machine? If so, what can you do (other than panic)?
First of all, it is important to understand the trends in technology that can provide risks for the replacement. Our advice will be to keep an eye on the recent researches. For instance, according to the BBC’s resent study, such positions as Taxi driver, Doctor, Telephone Salesperson and even Psychologist will be replaced in a few years.

Thanks to the technological development taxi drivers will be substitute with a driverless cars made by Google, Doctors – with an IRobot (artificially intelligent consultant that rule out possible diagnoses using symptoms input by the patient). IP Soft’s Amelia Al or Apple’s “Siri” are perfectly interact with humans and with the ability to use big data would be able to sell people a big range of products or services. Regarding the psychologists, researchers are still debating on this issue, however all of them agree on the fact that facial expression – reading and body – analyzing software have made a huge step forward towards intelligent human understanding.

Yet not only the above professions in jeopardy. Who knows, maybe the middle and senior level managers may also be in danger. Nevertheless, there are skills where humans have an edge over machines and that they can develop in order to save their position in the business world. Take a look at some of them.

Judgment. Computers are build as a binary technology, therefore they take a simple actions like yes or no, on or off etc. Of course they can work on the big data and analyze a lot of information, however all their judgments are based on the facts and logic. And their decisions not always right. Fortunately, people are more competent in this sphere.

Serendipity. This most often refers to “happy accidents,” where one outcome was sought, but a completely different—and often better—one was achieved. Perhaps the most famous business example of serendipity was the invention of Post-It notes.
A 3M scientist seeking to create a super-strong adhesive came up with a super-weak one instead. It was viewed as a failure until two other 3M engineers figured out how to combine that adhesive with specially coated paper to create what turned out to be a phenomenally successful product. Humans can do these things. A robot simply would have dismissed the original product as a failure.

Conflict resolution.While conflicts typically have some type of logical basis (e.g., which side is legally or factually right), they also involve emotion and even irrationality. Humans can navigate these elements in ways no machine can be programmed to understand.

Interpretation.It is one of the most popular examples. It doesn't matter how developed translator is (e.g. look at the Google translation), it would not translate the exact meaning of the articulated questions or confusing request. It is especially highly important in the business translations, where one word can worth a thousands even million dollars. People are superior to machines in these situations.

Innovation.This skill can save your position for years, because robots see things as they are and not much more. Only a human can invent something that never were before. Would you believe that computer could invent an Iphone or Drone? We bet you wouldn't. That’s up to people.

So, bottom line, will a robot take your job? That’s hard to predict, however It is possible if you make an effort. In any case, it is better not to stay in past and develop new skills that would definitely provide you a lot of opportunities in future.