Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto? AI, Blockchain & Their Impacts on Industries

By Shannon Terry — — Posted in Future of Work, OTJ Career Management

This is one post in the series in the The Future of Work category here on my blog.

So many changes are coming, or upon us, in our world, and, the workplace.

What will the business world adopt? How will we, our governments, each of us as individual employees, and the work force overall, adapt?

And how will any of these possibilities affect YOU, your life and your career? That of your children? Your country and communities?

See these additional articles as well:

The Fall of Fiat?

What about the changes in the financial world, which impacts industries, government institutions, AND individuals?  There is growing interest, from single investors to big banks and even tech companies like Facebook, in the digital money world of cryptocurrency (how many of you first learned about Bitcoin from that episode of The Good Wife in about 2012 like I did?)

Crypto currencies are about more than just digitizing money (and ideally, decentralizing banking and how money is created and exchanged). In the simplest of terms (and believe me, I can’t really explain it in depth anyway), the TECHNOLOGY that underlies, that creates, crypto currencies is called BLOCKCHAIN, and that blockchain can be used to do much more than just create digital currency.




Some industries crypto experts say block chain technologies will disrupt:

  • Insurance
  • Energy Management
  • Real Estate
  • Healthcare
  • Government (among 14 or more anticipated as of now)

How might a widespread adoption of cryto change how we buy goods & services – and which industries will change because of it? And therefore, which JOBS will be changed, or even become obsolete in ….. 5? 10? 15 years?

I’m hearing a lot that blockchain based “smart contracts” will replace the need for much of how we buy & sell houses, and track many types of files and documentation, such as medical records. These are just two examples, to keep it simple for now. Think about how many jobs that could impact if those things are handled by technology, though.


Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto …?

What about the growth of AI, and the impact artificial intelligence and robots will take on the types of jobs that are available and valued?

Here’s a sample list of jobs that are likely to be replaced by robots/robotics/AI:

  • Data Analysis
  • Store Clerks 
  • Many type of Drivers
  • Security Guards & Soldiers
  • Pilots
  • Customer Service
  • and ‘repetitive task’ jobs in: accounting, healthcare, law, marketing and hospitality.


In fact, a leading AI expert is predicting that artificial intelligence will automate and potentially eliminate 40 percent of jobs within 15 years. 

How do we, as skilled employees in a variety of industries at many levels in our careers, adapt to these coming and current changes?

The translation of the song lyrics above, “Domo arigato“, is “thank you very much“. Will we be grateful for how all these technologies emerging continue to change our lives?

Or might we soon be singing along?


“The problem’s plain to see:
Too much technology
Machines to save our lives
Machines dehumanize...”

WHAT TO DO, THEN?

Well, my recommendations are simply to:

  1. Pay attention, especially do how these growing technologies may impact YOUR line of work / industry
  2. LEARN NEW SKILLS to keep up, and/or, to prepare to make a career change into a new field
  3. Start a side gig, to diversify your income streams
  4. Maybe including one that has you investing in some crypto currencies…. the crypto enthusiasts say we are still in ‘early adopter’ phase, like the dot.com before the boom… DO YOUR RESEARCH though if you decide to try it, as the crypto market is **extremely** volatile and unpredictable!

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