What Jobs are Safe? Can Robots Automate Mish?

Reader Richard just pinged me with this comment "Hope those robots don't take your job!".

That's actually an interesting thought.

I replied ...

"The key to a safe job is to have no idea what you will do or say on a day to day basis. My job is safe. I have no idea what I am going to write about every day."

Computers can and will automate unknowns like sporting event outcomes. In fact, it's already happening.

But everyone's thought process is unique. I read dozens or even hundreds of articles a day before I make a selection on which to write about.

Today, I am at a bridge tournament and at 3:40AM I am more tired than usual. I was going to hit the sack, but decided to read one more email.

This post is the result.

Robots don't decide to read "one more email".  A robot will read all of them. And the robot will know everything that's happening globally far before I do.

But robots cannot be me (or anyone else). Everyone is unique. Humans have randomness and spontaneous thought processes that robots cannot duplicate.

Computers don't have emotions, random thought processes, or the brain of any individual. Computers cannot know how I (or anyone else) will respond to events when I do not know myself (and nor does anyone else).

The more repetitive the task, the less randomness in that task, the less subjective the task, and the less emotion involved, the more likely a job can be automated.

I comment on the news. That part is repetitive. But it's very subjective.

And news is random.  I never know what I will be writing about, and this post is certainly proof enough.

Most importantly, my emotions comes hugely in to play with every sentence I write.

Simply put, robots will need to be human before they can take some jobs. And that is impossible by definition.

Find a niche the right area, and your job is safe.

Mike "Mish" Shedlock
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com