AI won’t replace everyone, only those without creative direction, human judgement, and strategy will be most at risk of AI

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When Amazon’s internal strategy documents suggest that robots, AI, and overall automation will replace an estimated 600,000 jobs that would otherwise hire humans (more than half a million) by 2033, take note.

The second largest employer in the U.S. has spoken, and it’s a strong indication of where we’re heading in the future of work. That scale of disruption will leave few job categories at the big tech giant untouched, and many workers will need a plan B. This, if anything, is a stark reminder of how AI is disrupting the workforce at scale, and the need for upskilling and reskilling in other areas.

For context, this is happening even as the tech giant plans to double its output through the next few years.

Karen Weise, writing for The New York Times (who first reported this story), notes that “Amazon’s plans could have profound impact on blue-collar jobs throughout the country and serve as a model for other companies like Walmart, the nation’s largest private employer, and UPS. The company transformed the U.S. work force as it created a booming demand for warehousing and delivery jobs. But now, as it leads the way for automation, those roles could become more technical, higher paid and more scarce.”

Which Jobs Are Most At Risk From AI And Automation?

Whenever there is a wave of layoffs or the threat of roles being cut out from an organizational structure, the usual likely culprits tend to be roles that are repetitive or routine in nature.

These roles also do not typically require strategy and strong decision-making and creative skills, which makes it easier for them to be at risk and liable to automation.

Here are some examples of roles that would likely be targeted by Amazon as they ramp up AI implementation across their global operations: