Naples jobs are most vulnerable to automation in Florida, study says

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Robot assistant for a working professional. (Credit: WINK News)
Robot assistant for a working professional. (Credit: WINK News)

You are not imagining it – robots are taking over! A new study finds Naples is the most vulnerable in Florida when it comes to job loss.

The workforce in Southwest Florida can expect to see a change in the coming years. Experts like Tom Smythe, an economics professor at Florida Gulf Coast University, said robots are expected to take the place of humans.

“Automation is here to stay,” Smythe said. “It’s not going anywhere and it’s going to have a much bigger impact on a much broader swath of the economy as we go forward.”

Smythe said that would apply from manufacturing to medicine, even the services industry. Specific tasks will no longer be a job for human hands, especially anything repetitive. Over the last 10 years, technology has made significant strides, changing the perception of what is repetitive.

According to a study by Smart Assets, which is a financial technology company, by 2035, 10 million jobs will be at stake. From 54% of chefs and catering positions to construction jobs.

For Al Duffy, he knows technology can help first responders. However, the retired fire captain hopes automation does not backfire. His biggest fear is that society will become too dependent on technology.

But, there are financial advantages to having jobs move to automation in the long-term future.

Smythe said that because new technology replaces repetitive tasks, it means those employers can then work on a higher living standard and gain higher-skilled experience, which will lead to higher pay.

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