Headlines, white papers and studies say AI and robotics will trigger massive job losses in the future. But the technologies that we have today — from spreadsheets to smartphones — have already upended millions of jobs.
Why it matters: The jobs that have changed most dramatically over the last decade are lower-paying ones that are often located in economically distressed parts of the country. The disruption is adding pressure on Americans who are already struggling.
The big picture: Much of the scholarship on the future of work looks ahead to predict which industries will change in the years to come.
A new report from the Markle Foundation, a nonprofit that studies technology’s impact on society, looks backward instead — identifying the jobs that have already transformed and require far more tech skills than they did just 10 years ago.
“The public narrative seems to be around the big, seismic shifts in the workplace,” says Michele Chang, a director at the Markle Foundation. “We’re trying to call attention to the smaller, day-to-day impact. If you add up all of the small changes, it’s big.”
