October 22, 2025

 

(THE AGE OF ROBOTS/AI – WHAT OUR FUTURE WILL LOOK LIKE)

 

October 22, 2025

 

Hello everyone

 

Can you imagine it?

Asking Harold – your humanoid robot – to make your morning cup of tea, put the washing on, order your groceries, clean the floors, and organize your annual holiday.

The transformation of our lives is happening at warp speed.  Most of us can’t keep up.  It is sometimes mind-numbing to comprehend our lives in the near future.  The art of thinking could be slowly chipped away by machines, and humans, being social creatures, could find themselves imprisoned by their own technological advances. 

We’ve read about it in science fiction.  I studied literature at university and science fiction was one of my many areas of study.  I delved into books by Ursula K. Le Guin, George Orwell, H.G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, and Isaac Asimov. 

They all painted the same picture and pointed to a world where technological advancements could divide the world and communities into those who can fund the technology and reskill the population, and those who can’t. These texts also showed the effect of this technology on human beings.  It was not all positive.

And then, you will have those who refuse to participate in the technological transformation.  Those who rebel.

I remember my father – he passed away at 95 years of age in 2008 -when the slimline pushbutton telephone came out.  Remember, it still had a cord attached. 

 

For a long time, he refused to use it.  He was so used to the old black rotary dial telephone; he believed this new model was completely unnecessary and just irritating.  Why should I have to learn something new when there was nothing wrong with the old model?  That was his thinking.

 

Many of you in my generation will be able to remember these models.  The younger generation doesn’t know how to use them.

Change is always happening, even though we might not notice it on a daily basis.  And, as most people will acknowledge – change is difficult.  We feel comfortable with what we know and are familiar with.  Adapting to a whole new environment is always challenging.

There will be good and bad in the future world, as with all transformations.

In the age of robots, most people believe our lives will be easier.  And in some sense, it will.

Robots will empower our lives and transform everyday tasks.

We will no longer need to perform mundane tasks, and many physically taxing jobs will become automated.

So, we are likely to see robots/AI take over jobs in:

Customer Service Sector – probably a good idea, or would you rather be left on hold for an hour?

Which will include Receptionists and Secretaries

Accountants/Bookkeepers – who wants to look at numbers all day anyway?

Salespeople -buying an AI infused set of wheels from a robot – now that will be an experience.

Research & Analysis – oops, there goes my job!

Warehouse work (robots don’t get tired, need coffee or toilet breaks or need life or medical insurance, and they don’t spend their time scrolling social media).  More expensive in the short term, but cheaper in the long term.

Insurance underwriting

Retail/supermarkets – phasing out of counter staff – replaced by robots/AI technology

Medical environment – surgeons may be replaced by robots.  That is already happening.  And we could really see all types of robots in a hospital environment doing reception work and mundane tasks.  Less errors likely.

Farming – automation and robots will empower farmers to become more productive.

Food preparation – robots could perform many food handling jobs.  (better than an employee who doesn’t wash their hands before touching food)

Taxi drivers – self -driving cars are already here, next is flying cars.

Delivery drivers – drone deliveries, automated transport.

There is a fear that AI and robots will phase out the need for humans at all, and we will consequently see mass unemployment.

Not quite.

Certain professionals will be phased out, but the modern technology will revolutionize the efficiency of others, creating huge opportunities for skilled people.  Programmers, engineers, designers, tradespeople among others will be required to keep this technology humming along.

 

Robots in a warehouse setting will be the norm eventually. 

 

I can see robots eventually taking blood, temperature and doing routine tests.  Can you imagine going to a humanoid dentist and having your teeth cleaned and your cavities (if you have any) filled by a robot?   

 

 

What we don’t want with all this technology is a dystopian scenario, where some people have everything, and others have nothing.

We need to be responsible with these technologies, and use them to restore ecosystems and nature, and even help regions around the world cope with the impacts of climate change. 

Shaping the future must involve many voices – a diverse representation.   Only by understanding the power we have can we actively and responsibly steer our future toward a more equitable and beneficial environment, where everyone has the opportunity to prosper.

 

 

October 22^nd, Wednesday evening news:  It’s clear that robots are no longer science fiction; they are now being delivered into Australian shopping centres to help shoppers  – carry their bags and locate products they are looking for.

 

 

 

 

Cheers

Jacquie