Labor market of the future - Heil: AI is forcing millions to reorient their jobs
The triumphal march of Artificial Intelligence in companies forces millions of employees in Germany to adapt in their jobs, according to Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil. For example, in retail, banks, and insurance companies, demanding work can be automated, the SPD politician said on a summer tour in Tübingen. "Then it's about professional reorientation."
In industry, work doesn't disappear, but the requirements for employees change, Heil added. According to a representative survey by Bitkom Research, 41% of people in Germany feel often overwhelmed by digital technologies. Nearly every fourth person, according to a survey by the consulting firm Ernst & Young, has concerns that machines or technology will replace them.
Robots instead of harvest helpers
Heil also saw the use of high technology in fruit growing in Baden and the development of harvest and other robots at the Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems in Tübingen during his summer vacation. For example, agriculture: Here you can see how robots could replace harvest helpers, who are often rare, according to the minister. For instance, beer harvesting can now be done much more productively with a robot than with pickers and pitchforks.
In summary: "Even in times of Artificial Intelligence, work will probably not disappear from our society, but it will be different in many ways."
Heil: All employees will have to deal with AI
Irreplaceable is human work in the areas of healthcare, education, and care. But even there, Artificial Intelligence makes inroads - "for example, to relieve a caregiver from documentation duties through speech recognition systems". Human work can therefore be concentrated where it is indispensable. Heil: "We will experience that by 2035, practically every job will have to deal with Artificial Intelligence in one way or another - in various ways."
- Hubertus Heil, Germany's Federal Labor Minister, emphasized the impact of Artificial Intelligence on jobs during a summer tour in Tuebingen, a city in Baden-Württemberg.
- In Berlin, discussions about the role of AI in the labor market and the future of work are gaining momentum, mirroring the national debate initiated by Heil.
- With AI set to automate many work processes in retail, banking, and insurance sectors, Germany's Social Affairs Minister encouraged professional reorientation for employees.
- Bitkom, a prominent IT association, conducted a survey revealing that 41% of Germans often feel overwhelmed by digital technologies, highlighting the potential challenges of the AI transition.
- Heil's visit to Tuebingen, home to the Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems, showcased the potential of AI in various sectors, including agriculture, where robots could replace rare harvest helpers.
- The SPD politician emphasized that while some jobs may change, human work will remain essential in healthcare, education, and care services, with AI aiding tasks such as documentation duties using speech recognition systems.
- The German Federal Government considers Tuebingen a technology hub, an essential stop in the country's "Victory march" towards a digital future characterized by AI integration across various sectors.
- According to Heil, by 2035, almost every job in Germany will involve AI in some capacity, necessitating a nationwide effort to prepare and educate the workforce for future challenges and opportunities in the AI era.
