Thank you to Kem-Laurin Lubin, PH.D - C for sharing her knowledge and insight with us.

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From knowledge jobs to new indentureship: re-evaluating the value of skilled labour in the age of AI

“The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains. They have a world to win.”— Karl Marx.

Ifyou, like me, are part of the Millennial or Gen X generations, you’ve probably noticed that discussions about work and workplace culture are becoming increasingly common among our circles. Not long ago, the focus of such conversations was on blue-collar workers and roles typically seen as requiring lower skills, such as cashiers and customer service staff. The narrative then was clear: — Automation was a looming threat to their jobs. Fast forward to today, and I hear similar concerns from friends with advanced degrees who struggle, even to afford their own homes, on what was once a “good salary.” Might I add, a few handful include university professors. The refrain, all around, though, has evolved into “AI took my job.”

The prevalence of such sentiments is likely to grow as AI becomes more integrated into our workplaces. However, it’s important to recognize that AI itself is not taking our jobs. Rather, the underlying issue is that we, as a working population,” have not been adequately prepared for a world where AI can augment and supplement so many aspects of our work. From research to customer service, and even to writing — AI is seeping into all aspects of our work life and devaluing human tasks that was once a lucrative source of income for many.

Additionally, companies have traditionally neglected to prioritize employee training to adequately prepare their workforce for change. Why would they, when the norm has often been to rely on a limited selection of outdated, outsourced courses, out of touch with the times? These offerings are hardly sufficient to equip employees for the significant and disruptive changes that are on the horizon.

My extensive experience facilitating workshops on the “future of work” for large multinationals, universities, and banks has given me a close-up view of these challenges and the inadequacies of current corporate training practices. Again — this is a topic I have written about since I joined this platform in 2016 or so. I will leave links to the rest of the post in references as well as this post, as appropriate.

This technological shift requires a significant reevaluation of how we perceive job roles and career planning, emphasizing adaptability and continuous learning as essential skills for the future. I assure you we will need it. Here is one of my older post:

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Today, AI is a pervasive presence in nearly every aspect of our lives, often invisible. Its rapid integration into our work environments is reminiscent of the transformative pace of the Industrial Revolution, which automated traditional crafts. Moreover, the very definition of “work” is undergoing a dramatic transformation and we have not internalize that impact.

In my role as a Digital Transformation Coach, I witness firsthand the irony that participants in my workshops are inadvertently helping to automate their own jobs away. This shift is not merely a minor adjustment; it represents a fundamental change, echoing historical labour shifts and evolving demands, signaling that the nature of work as we know it has fundamentally changed.

Today, many knowledge workers I encounter are facing significant challenges adjusting. I observe a troubling trend that I unapologetically refer to as digital indentured servitude. It is reminiscent of a bygone era that followed the end of colonization and its use of slave labour as well as the rapid automation brought on by Industrial Revolution — all in the name of cost reduction and the new buzz word “operational efficiency.”

The current shift moves from human-centered intellectual labor to AI-driven processes, necessitates a profound reassessment of the future of knowledge work. This transition marks a critical point in redefining how we understand and value intellectual labour in an increasingly automated landscape. There seems to be a privileging of those who can take directions and work without asking “why?”

Diminishing domain of human thinkers — stop thinking, just work

Recently, while sitting at my desk in a remote work environment, I had an epiphany. As I pondered over a workshop protocol with my notebook in hand, I realized I hadn’t touched my laptop in over half an hour. Just as my computer was about to go into sleep mode and I swiped at it to wake it up, a different kind of realization dawned on me — a reflection on a reality many of us face as modern workers.

The overseers are the new “manager” class who have little to do but be the human oversight and complement to the digital surveillance productivity tools. Sadly, many of the companies who sell such tools are so too brought in the idea that workers are all subject to the digital panopticon that has become “work.”

We are constantly monitored by productivity tools that act like overseers, ensuring that we are glued to our keyboards as proof of our engagement and productivity.

Today, the average office worker spends a significant portion of their day at a keyboard, with studies indicating that many can spend as much as 6 to 8 hours typing or addressing mundane digital tasks. This sedentary, screen-focused lifestyle is a far cry from the dynamic physical movements typical of past occupations, but it comes with its own set of modern chains. The pressure to maintain constant activity on our computers can be seen as a digital analogue to the time clocks used in early 20th-century factories, where workers punched in and out to track their working hours.

In both scenarios, the underlying message is similar: visible activity and presence are proxies for productivity.

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This evolution — or perhaps regression — raises important questions about how we define productivity and engagement in the workplace. Are we truly engaged just because our keyboard activity is constant? Or are we adhering to an outdated industrial model that values visible busyness over actual efficiency and creativity? As we all experience these disruptions, these changes, it becomes crucial for us to rethink our work habits and the tools we use to measure productivity, ensuring they foster a healthy, balanced, and genuinely productive work environment.

Competing with AI productivity — the paralyzing effect

The integration of AI into the workplace is not a future prediction but a present reality. Research from McKinsey suggests that about 30% of tasks in about 60% of occupations could be automated, which includes significant portions of what were considered knowledge jobs (McKinsey Global Institute, 2017). AI’s capability to analyze data, generate reports, and even make predictive judgments is reducing the need for human intervention in areas traditionally dominated by intellectual labour. Fields like finance, legal services, and healthcare are seeing AI take over tasks such as data analysis, legal research, and diagnostic procedures, tasks that once required extensive human expertise but now only require doers over thinkers. This, in turn has ushered in new waves of migration.

Exploitation legacies — trends in labour migration

I can only speak for Canada and what I’ve observed in my own circle, but a hot topic here has been the post-COVID influx of workers, particularly from countries like India and a handful of South American countries — the work changes are palpably different these days.

Many of us are already discussing this, especially since the brief period when workers seemed to have more leverage. That shifted quickly when some Western governments responded by significantly increasing the import of labor. The immediate impact on Canadian morale is evident, reflected in our political climate and the frustration of citizens who see the cost of living rise while wages stagnate. These citizens are witnessing newcomers willing to work for much less than what was the norm pre-COVID.

In a corporate world that often subscribes to the misguided belief that speed is essential for survival, there’s a relentless push for efficiency that tends to prioritize profits over employee well-being. This leads to a workforce that must constantly adapt to new technologies, often without sufficient support, training, or regard for their mental health. The mantra “just do it” seems to perfectly encapsulate the current work culture here in Canada.

Are we now seeing a digital wave of what could be likened to indentured servitude of a bygone colonial era?

“Operational Efficiency” — The post colonial indentureship playbook

As a child of the Caribbean diaspora, the echoes may be louder for me — especially in a post slavery era when free African labour was in short supply. Clearly the work done by enslaved were already ascribed little to no value and the goals of getting free or low cost workers as a way of “operational efficiency” or what some might confer the title of “corporate and colonial greed” was to replace African enslaved with the next cheapest option — imported Chinese and Indian populations, who are now established part of Caribbean populations.

We need to contend with one fact — we have seen this move before. History has lessons to learn from.

Indentured labourers from India in the Caribbean after slavery

This historical familiar context provides a lens through which we can view these changes. Similar to past shifts when manual labour was in high demand during the Industrial Revolution, today’s economy is seeing a heightened demand for skilled manual labor — albeit in a different guise.

How the Vedic caste system is reshaping the workplace

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For example, while AI takes over routine or computational tasks, there is an increasing need for jobs that require human interaction, craftsmanship, or physical presence, such as in healthcare, installation and repair of high-tech equipment, and the personal care industry; doers — not thinkers

Moreover, current migration patterns reflect these shifts. As reported by the International Labour Organization (ILO), there is a notable migration towards countries with a higher demand for service and craft jobs, indicating a global acknowledgment of changing job landscapes due to technological advancements.

So many I know are in the predicament of what next.

Strategies for Knowledge Workers in the Age of AI

For those in knowledge work, adapting to this new era involves several strategic pivots. These are new times that require us all to tap into of need to survive and have the creative means to do so. Unfortunately, with the antiquated 5 day workweek still a part of our way of life, there is such little time to think about thriving, far less surviving. But here are some commonplace guidance on the matter that I sometimes try to include in sessions I facilitate on the topics as “The Future of Work.” These are just a few. Frankly, it is the advice I give my kids — given I went back to school in 2017 because I saw this trend coming.

1. Skill reinforcement

Focusing on complex problem-solving and leadership skills that AI cannot easily replicate.
Developing skills that are tough for AI to mimic, such as complex problem-solving and leadership, can provide a competitive edge. For instance, while AI can analyze data, human leaders excel at contextual understanding and ethical decision-making within ambiguous scenarios. Leadership also involves motivational skills and empathy, critical for managing teams effectively, qualities not easily replicated by AI.

2. Lifelong learning

Engaging in continuous education to stay abreast of technological advancements and their Applications in your specific field.
The pace of technological change necessitates ongoing learning to keep up with new tools and methodologies. For example, professionals in digital marketing must learn about the latest algorithms used by search engines and social platforms to remain effective. Continuous education platforms like provide courses that help professionals stay updated and adaptable. Though ideally, in person is a better option though not an inclusive way of disseminating education.

3. Interdisciplinary knowledge

Integrating expertise from various fields to create a niche that AI tools are less likely to fill.
Combining knowledge from different domains can lead to innovative solutions and job roles that AI cannot easily duplicate. A professional with a background in both healthcare and data science, for example, is uniquely equipped to develop AI-driven healthcare solutions that require deep understanding of both fields. Such hybrid expertise can lead to roles that AI alone cannot perform, like overseeing complex interdisciplinary projects.

4. Human-centric skills

Emphasizing emotional intelligence, creativity, and interpersonal skills to leverage positions in areas where human touch is irreplaceable.
Roles that require high levels of emotional intelligence, creativity, and interpersonal interaction remain difficult for AI to undertake. Jobs in therapy, social work, or creative arts, where nuanced human interaction is crucial, are examples where these skills are invaluable. Emotional intelligence also plays a significant role in roles like HR or customer service, where understanding and responding to human emotions effectively is key. It is my hope that the future will return to prioritizing the human touch. Let us wait and see.

Thriving in new work frontiers

The narrative that AI will replace humans is an oversimplification and too much to contain in this post alone. Instead, AI is reshaping the value we once placed on different types of work or even the devaluation of these forms of work. Reflecting on my own career, many tasks I performed are now more efficiently handled by AI. As routine intellectual tasks become automated, there is a growing appreciation and demand for skilled labor and roles that require uniquely human attributes.

The challenge and opportunity for today’s workforce lie in adapting to these changes, preparing for a future where AI complements rather than replaces human effort. This perspective might seem optimistic, but it underscores a broader truth: there’s much more to human existence than work. We need to focus on our individual value and thrive in these uncertain times, leveraging our unique capabilities and fostering our human potential. That, however, is easier said than done.

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References

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About me: Hello, my name is Kem-Laurin, and I am one half of the co-founding team of Human Tech Futures. At Human Tech Futures, we’re passionate about helping our clients navigate the future with confidence! Innovation and transformation are at the core of what we do, and we believe in taking a human-focused approach every step of the way.

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