Automation – The Holy Grail of the 21st Century

Suddenly, we see them everywhere, the robots. They take up jobs as receptionists, interpreters, hotel staff, economists and salesmen. They look ever more human-like in appearance, intelligence and behavior. 

Oxford University researchers Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael A. Osborne concludes in a widely circulated paper that half of all jobs may succumb to automation within two decades. The Swedish think tank Reforminstitutet suggests a similar figure. 

Do these numbers square with the views of actual business leaders? Do they believe in a more or a less dramatic change? What are the opportunities? What are the driving forces? When will half of today’s jobs belong to machines? Those are just some of the questions we asked 200 leaders of private companies with at least 10 employees. Some answers were not what you would expect. 

Published: 2015