It is funny and scary to realize that when we talk about the future of work, it is usually from a perspective of dooming some professions and, therefore, discarding workers. From one side, we have marvelous machines with artificial intelligence capable of replacing humans and improving practically all processes that we can think of; from the other side, we can foresee humans lost in the middle of such revolutions: no job, no money, no purpose, no value… But does it have to be so?
My point of view goes a bit along with that of Harari, famous author of Sapiens and other books, stating in one of his interviews: we should be asking the right questions and the ugly truth is that we are not. Instead of comparing the human capacity with that of a robot, we should be seeking for purpose. If the human purpose is clear, we will be impelled to produce and contribute to society in the best possible way – and this is when machines and artificial intelligence will be more than welcome: technology can (and will!) help humans to reach goals faster than they would without it. The trap is that we keep confusing silly goals, profit, and selfish desires with purpose, and we invest in technology to provide these things to us, mistaking them for happiness. When we expand this approach to the fields of work and professions, there is a risk that technology will bring many collateral effects such as unemployment, lack of qualification for new job demands, not to mention the emotional troublesomeness of one feeling worthless towards society.
If humans truly commit to seeking for purpose, there is a chance of a bright future when many professions will be required and when society will call individuals for action. Even in a scenario where the most basic and the most complex chore can be performed by a machine, there is of course room for humans to work. I believe so because there is always room to serve a community and contribute to its wellbeing. Most of what we seek unconsciously is some security and the reassurance that we are loved and that we belong to a group. Once we are inserted in social environments, conflicts arise and compromises are bound to occur as a natural part of life. There are always going to be gaps around those social topics and this is likely to be the foundation of future professions.
The future of current forms of work may indeed be doomed. But I trust that these positions are to be replaced by better ones, that will aspire for the most creative, delicate, and resilient part of us. We have to prepare for a future in which we are constantly aware of our environmental needs and are ready to communicate with our community to organize the best possible solutions for every new challenge that arises.
