19 Statistics About Jobs Lost to Automation and The Future of Employment in 2023

In 2022, there were over 4 million industrial robots.

From an efficiency perspective, that’s no doubt a good thing.

But the image of a never-tired and always precise machine doing everything much faster does raise a question in our minds:

Will my job be automated? 

You’re right to wonder if that applies to you if you hold a clerical job or work on a production line, repetitively doing the same simple task.

It’s time to dive into the statistics on jobs lost to robots.

Fascinating Stats and Facts on Jobs Lost To Automation

• The 30% boring and repetitive job will be replaced by automation. 
• According to Office for National Statistics (ONS), 1.5 million people in England are at high risk of losing jobs to automation. 
• By 2030, 375 million jobs worldwide will be at risk. 
• 14 to 80 million US jobs are at risk of being automated.
• Automation is predicted to displace 20 million manufacturing jobs by 2030.
• China has the highest number of robots, with about 14 million as of 2023.
• 36 million workers were estimated to lose jobs because of AI, estimated by the Brookings Institution.
• Up to 73 million US jobs will be lost to automation by 2030. 
• Over 60% of food preparation jobs are at risk of being fully automated.

Let’s look closely at the numbers first and then decide if you need to be considering options.

Eye-Opening Jobs Lost to Automation Statistics for 2023

The automation statistics for 2023 tell us that workers who do many repetitive tasks will be affected the most. 

Want to know more? Read on!

1. Automation will displace 85 million jobs globally by 2025.

(Finances Online) 

Jobs lost to automation statistics for 2022 show that the world will lose 85 million positions. 

That’ll be in the wake of companies adopting smart machines, which will take over many roles.

2. Manufacturing jobs since 1980 have declined by 3%, while production has grown by almost 20%.

(Business Insider)

Stats show that the number of manufacturing jobs stagnated between 1970 and 2000, then began to decline steadily. 

Interestingly, production has increased during this time, indicating that automation is improving efficiency.

3. The number of jobs lost to automation by 2030 in the US is set to reach 73 million.

(Forbes)

Data shows that as many as 73 million jobs could be lost in the US due to automation. 

This figure fares better for specific countries like Germany, where only 17 million jobs will be lost. In contrast, China will be the worst hit, losing 236 million jobs.

4. At over 60%, food preparation is one of the jobs most at risk of automation.

(The Economist)

Don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Other jobs subject to automation include construction, with just under 60% of jobs expected to be lost to automation. Cleaning is another, as is driving.

5. 14 million robots could exist in China, making it the country with the highest level of manufacturing automation.

(The Small Business Blog) 

One of the countries where jobs affected by automation are the highest in China. 

The country has experienced the highest manufacturing level - 14 million robots exist along its production lines. 

Statistics About Jobs and Automation

Technology is slowly taking over jobs - statistics say as much. Here’s the current state of affairs.

6. 20.7% of power and IT companies were recruited for at least one robotics-related position in January 2022.

(Power Technology) 

That’s a 13% rise compared to the same month last year.

According to automation statistics, companies in those fields are hiring for the most robotics-related positions, as the average across all other organizations is roughly 0.6%.

7. In 2022, there were over 4 million industrial robots globally. 

(MarshMcLennan)

According to automation statistics for 2022, the number of robots in industrial settings reached over 4 million. 

China is dominating robotics shipments, way ahead of Europe and the US.  

8. The global medical robot market is expected to reach $26.43 billion by 2027.

(Globe Newswire) 

Some automation creates jobs. So, with the increase in sales of medical robots, you can expect an increase in the demand for skilled workers to operate the robots. 

The global medical robot market by 2027 will reach $26.43 billion, and 18% at a CAGR. 

9. AI will boost 26% of GDP growth in China and 14% in North America by 2030.

(PwC) 

PwC estimates that AI will significantly impact the GDP in both China and North America. The two countries will account for $10.7 trillion, or almost 70%, of the global automation economy's expansion (estimated to be $15.7 trillion by 2030).

The global financial implications of automation will likely be due to increased productivity, projected to result in $6.6 trillion, and consumption-side effects such as attractiveness, personalization, and affordability, evaluated at $9.1 trillion. 

The expansion comes with the prediction that:

10. By the mid-2030s, up to 30% of jobs could be automated.

(PwC)

This PwC analysis gathers data from 29 countries. Divided into three waves of impact, we should expect AI unemployment to hit women in the financial service sector first. Here, automation can reach up to 30%. 

But:

While by 2030, the financial sector will stabilize, up until then, men in transport-related jobs will experience the long-term effects of AI—with a displacement rate of up to 50%. 

Furthermore, Oxford Economics found that:

11. 20 million manufacturing jobs will be lost to automation by 2030.

(Oxford Economics)

The study stresses that if the current rate of technology adoption continues, we can expect many manufacturing jobs to disappear from the job market altogether. 

Another analysis by Zippia found that:

12. 37% of workers worry they’ll lose their job due to automation. 

(Zippia)

There are clear indications that the employment market is changing. Its pace exceeds expectations, and many people's concerns regarding their employment seem reasonable.

One thing is sure:

AI is replacing jobs, and some people are most vulnerable to the approaching transformation of the labor market.  

Higher-educated employees tend to adapt more quickly to technological changes, allowing them to remain in the same line of work compared with people with lower education levels, who have a greater chance of switching jobs. 

Also, better-educated people are involved in senior managerial roles—we still need human judgment and supervision, so their jobs are least likely to be automated.

13. Around 36 million Americans have jobs threatened by automation.

(Gitnux)

Using current technology, up to 70% of their tasks can be performed by machines. 

Cooks, servers, and other employees in food services; short-haul truck drivers; and clerical office workers are among those with jobs most at risk of automation.

14. Above 40% of workers with low levels of education will suffer displacement by 2030, compared to 10% of workers with high-level education.

(PwC)

It seems unfair, but history shows the usual victim is always the ordinary man, and this scenario is no different. 

The BBC adds to the blow by reporting that:

15. Europe will lose 12 million jobs due to automation by 2040.

(The Register)

The latest statistics reveal that Europe will also feel the impact of automation on job losses in the next few decades. By 2040, the region will lose 12 million jobs. 

This will mainly affect positions with repetitive leisure, hospitality, food services, and retail tasks. 

Germany has the highest percentage of such jobs, at almost 38%. France is second with 34%.

Could a Machine Do Your Job?

The answer, in many cases, is a colossal “yes.”

Especially if you’re working in any of the vulnerable sectors, such as:

•  Administration,
•  Financial services,
•  Transportation or construction,
•  Hospitality.

There seem to be people who underestimate how much their job is at risk of automation, according to a CreaditLoan survey. It showed how expectations deviate from forecasts.

16. Artificial Intelligence was able to create 58 million new jobs in 2022.

(World Economic Forum)

The report predicts that although the shift to automation might mean the loss of some 75 million jobs, 133 million new jobs will be created as a direct consequence of the added machine workforce. 

Automation Creates Jobs

Not long ago, the rapid adaptation of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) had a similar effect on the labor market.

While the number of bank tellers per bank office decreased, the ATMs lowered the cost of opening new offices and increased the number of offices. 

This eventually led to banks hiring even more employees, including bank tellers. 

There was a change, however, and automation impacted bank tellers’ jobs.

They started focusing more on customer relations as their routine tasks became automated. 

17. “Artificial Intelligence (AI) could create as many jobs in the UK as it could displace them over the next 20 years.”

(BBC)

AI would boost economic growth by creating new job roles while rendering other jobs obsolete. 

According to the report, AI could displace about seven million jobs in the UK from 2017 - 2037. However, around 7.2 million new jobs will appear in the process. 

There will be winning and losing industry sectors as a result. Jobs in sectors like health, education, and scientific and technical services are set to benefit disproportionately. 

On the other hand, jobs in sectors like manufacturing, transport and storage, and public administration could suffer critically. 

The statistics show how many dangerous jobs have been replaced by automation.

We know what your burning question is. “Will my job be automated?”

The report also states that this fourth industrial revolution will likely favor those with strong digital skills, creativity, and teamwork capabilities. This is because these are skills that machines would find hard to replicate.

18. 71% of the total current task hours are completed by humans, as opposed to 29% by robots.

(Zippia)

Jobs lost to automation statistics reveal that, in 2018, about 71% of total task hours were completed by humans, while machines completed 29%. 

Studies have shown that the current trend toward automation of jobs is shifting this task distribution.

Humans will likely complete 58% of task hours in the coming years, while machines will take care of the other 42%.

19. 70% of workers believe that automation is more of an opportunity to be highly skilled. 

(Fortunly)

Although nearly a third of workers worry that they are in jobs most at risk of automation, others have decided to remain optimistic. 

Of the 7,000 surveyed workers, 70% expressed hope for the future. They believe automation will give them a unique chance to be more proficient at highly skilled work.

All About Those Soft Skills: Future Job Augmentation

Experts predict that future employment will revolve around skills our robot fellows can’t pull off yet (and some believe if they ever do, humans are doomed). 

As technology starts taking over jobs, we must look for innovative ways to refine the modern labor environment.

Scientists have indeed made some significant progress in AI development in recent years. 

They’ve been able to make machines that perform meaningful tasks even outside the assembly line and produce remarkable results in pattern recognition and pattern generation.

But it's too early to speculate whether “the robots are out to get us all.”

Occupations involving human touch or soft skills are an option for those with jobs at risk of automation. 

The Jobs of the Future

As mentioned above, jobs in sectors where human care and understanding are needed will become more critical as automation spreads. 

Healthcare

Although there are reported healthcare data breaches, care for our seniors (basically, you and me in the not-so-distant future) is one of the areas where AI won’t have as significant an impact as elsewhere.

It's projected that by 2030, with the global population steadily aging, there will be at least 300 more people over 65 than in 2004. 

And that will affect the number of caregivers, as it’s unlikely that their jobs will be eliminated by technology.

McKinsey Global Institute forecasts that:

Aging will create a noticeable demand for various occupations, including doctors, nurses, and health technicians. And we’ll also see an increase in the number of nursing assistants and home health aides. 

Personal caregivers, in general, will become one of the most sought out jobs. The forecast expects growth of 50 million to 85 million jobs in the field.

Consumption, Driven by Emerging Economies

While emerging economies will most significantly feel the wave of jobs that will be automated, it’s also projected that we’ll see an increase in consumption coming specifically from the new consumer classes of those economies. 

McKinsey reports a growth rate of $23 trillion between 2015 and 2030.

The new consumers will affect the countries generating the income and the countries they’re importing goods from. 

Globally, experts believe this rise in consumption can create between 250 million and 280 million jobs. 

Education and healthcare will have leading positions. Forecasts paint a picture of automation and jobs going hand-in-hand. 

The Age of IT Professionals

McKinsey Global report continues with projections that spending on technology could grow by more than 50% between 2015 and 2030. 

They expect about half of that to come from information-technology services, which will create opportunities for job growth between 20 and 50 million globally. 

Architects and Engineers

Those two professions are also likely to increase in numbers. The number of required specialists could grow between 80 and 200 million, depending on how infrastructure and building investments are developing.  

Those statistics about technology taking over jobs don’t look as frightening now.

But let’s add:

Climate Change and Renewable Energy

We’ll need professionals engaged in solar and wind technology to mitigate the environmental changes we face. 

Based on the forecast of McKinsey Global, this might involve hiring workers tasked with manufacturing, construction, and installation jobs in that sector. 

Money in House Choirs

Another trend the research considers is the marketization of housework, which previously wasn’t part of the economic equation. Pushed by the growing percentage of the female workforce, jobs like childcare and education, cleaning, cooking, and gardening might see a rise of 50 to 90 million jobs.  

So, we’ll not see artificial intelligence taking those jobs yet. 

The truth is:

Since robots have started taking over (unlike in “The Matrix”), we have seen a positive increase in productivity.

Economy Expansion

According to McKinsey, automation can boost up to 1.4% of the global economy annually.

The research admits that automation will impact economic growth significantly and will propose the mechanization of up to 30% of jobs globally by 2030. Still, researchers are confident this wouldn’t necessarily mean massive layoffs. 

It could propose a transition into new positions and responsibilities for the people with jobs with the highest chances of automation.

Conclusion

The reality is that, willingly or not, we will feel the effects of AI displacement. Job loss due to automation will happen, and that’s good, one way or another.

And it’s up to us to decide whether we’ll view automation and future jobs as a challenge or an opportunity.

The future of jobs involves a complex, problem-solving attitude. That will require continuous investment in our most valuable asset - our minds. Still, AI could aid more people in finding their “calling” in life. 

If that involves base jumps, so be it. Adaptation is vital, and we all have no choice but to adapt to changes. So we must start preparing ourselves, individually and as societies, for the transition already set in motion. 

Some will be more vulnerable and need help reconciling the new labor market. Nonetheless, change comes without asking, so be ready and do not fear those jobs lost to automation statistics. 

Like any other technology-related industry, robots are also at risk of cyberattacks. People must take the necessary precautions and use cybersecurity to prevent harmful things from happening.