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Robots could replace humans in a quarter of US jobs by 2030

About 36 million jobs could be at high risk of automation, according to a new report.

Erin Carson Former Senior Writer
Erin Carson covered internet culture, online dating and the weird ways tech and science are changing your life.
Expertise Erin has been a tech reporter for almost 10 years. Her reporting has taken her from the Johnson Space Center to San Diego Comic-Con's famous Hall H. Credentials
  • She has a master's degree in journalism from Syracuse University.
Erin Carson
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Automation will affect the future of jobs.

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There's a lot of handwringing when it comes to the future of jobs.

A report from the Brookings Institution, released Thursday, adds to the pile of stats suggesting we'll all be replaced by robots one day. 

Among the report's main findings: 25 percent of US workers will face what the report authors calls "high exposure" to automation in the next few decades. That translates to about 36 million jobs. Another 36 percent -- 52 million -- will face "medium exposure."

"The discourse appears to be arriving at a more complicated, mixed understanding that suggests that automation will bring neither apocalypse nor utopia, but instead both benefits and stresses alike," the report says.

As far as the most susceptible jobs, the report says there's not really a field that won't be affected by automation and AI. 

However, the most vulnerable jobs are those with "predictable physical and cognitive tasks." Jobs that tend to be more creative or require higher interpersonal social skills or higher education are somewhat more secure. Generally, lower-wage jobs run a higher risk of getting automated. 

There are also other factors like location to consider. Rural communities, for example, are more vulnerable. And there are demographic implications. Hispanic and black workers face greater exposure, according to the report. 

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