From drivers to coders, report reveals AI could replace these 8 jobs in next 5 years

India Today

4 days ago

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is quickly becoming a part of everyday work, and it is not just routine tasks that are being automated anymore. A growing number of jobs across industries could soon be replaced by AI, according to recent reports. The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shared in April that up to 40 per cent of jobs around the world may be affected by AI. Some roles could change, while others might disappear altogether. The report also pointed out that jobs usually held by women could be more at risk compared to those done by men.advertisementConsulting firm McKinsey & Company also predicts major changes over the next five years, depending on how quickly automation tools are adopted by industries. So, which jobs are at risk? From everyday roles like driving to specialised tasks in IT and business, here are eight jobs that experts believe may be taken over by AI in the coming years, according to The Economic Times.From drivers to coders, report reveals AI could replace 8 jobs in next 5 years-Hiring processes are already being changed by AI. From sorting CVs to checking candidate profiles, automation tools are now doing a lot of the work that was earlier done manually by recruiters. IBM has also reportedly started replacing a portion of its Human Resource (HR) staff with AI agents, in a bid to automate internal processes and cut down on routine tasks. The company's CEO, Arvind Krishna, recently said that AI has taken over the work of "a couple hundred" HR employees.advertisement
-Self-driving cars are still being tested, but the technology is improving fast. Many experts believe that jobs involving driving such as cab drivers or delivery workers could eventually be done by autonomous vehicles. In India, it would likely take a very long time for self driving cars to work because of the lack of infrastructure as well as rules and the expensive nature of the tech. Additionally, the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways in India, Nitin Gadkari, has said in December 2023 that he would never allow driverless cars in the country because of potential job losses. But, no one knows the future and anything could happen.-Even tech jobs are not completely safe. With tools that require little or no coding, people without technical training can now create digital solutions. This reduces the need for large IT teams to handle basic software support or development tasks. Companies like Google, Microsoft and OpenAI are already using AI to do entry-level coding.-Interestingly, AI is not just helping in security, it is also being used to carry out cyberattacks. Some reports warn that attackers could use AI to launch faster and more complex digital threats.-AI tools can handle basic sales tasks, such as talking to customers, sending follow-up messages, and analysing customer data. As more people shop online or through apps, the need for human sales staff may reduce in certain areas. It is worth noting that companies like Klarna have earlier revealed that their AI assistant had handled 2.3 million customer interactions in 2024. This is about two-thirds of its total service chats, which the company says is doing work of almost 700 full-time human agents. At the recent I/O 2025 event, Google also showed its AI-powered features for online shoppers that will let them try new clothes virtually and make their purchasing decision easier.advertisement-In stores and restaurants, automation is already changing how things run. Self-checkout machines, cleaning robots, and tools for managing stock are reducing the need for human workers in these sectors. People might have seen a few restaurants in places like Kolkata and Lucknow having robot servers. The top examples of self-checkout machines in India are Decathlon and McDonald's.-Emails, reports, and memos, these routine writing tasks are now being handled by AI tools, according to the cited reports. In the next few years, businesses may rely more on automation to save time on such day-to-day communication. Interestingly, two major tech leaders, from Klarna and Zoom, recently showed up at their respective earnings calls through AI-generated versions of themselves. They used an AI avatar that mimicked their appearance and voice, showing how much the new technology is taking over the human world.advertisement-It is also being reported AI is helping brands with social media posts, personalised ads, customer data tracking, and more. Many of these tasks used to require entire marketing teams, but now they can be done much faster with AI tools.Why you should not worry a lotAlthough the list might sound worrying, experts say there is also a positive side. A 2023 report by Goldman Sachs noted that while many jobs could be partly automated, most roles will still need human input in some form. In fact, automation has often led to new types of jobs in the past.The report cited research by economist David Autor, who found that about 60 per cent of today's jobs didn't even exist in the 1940s. This shows that while some roles vanish, new ones are also created as technology moves forward.So, while AI might change the way we work, it does not mean the end of work itself. Instead, it could be the beginning of a new way of working, where people and machines work together in smarter ways.