Losing jobs to machines is inevitable...

​...unless we become artists or inventors!

Let's look at the history of corporate jobs.

In 1960's and 1970’s, typewriting and shorthand was one of the niche skills worldwide. This is because the job of a secretary was in high demand in all industries. Microsoft Office killed that job in 1990's.

The story is similar for the telephone operators.

Factory workers were replaced by machines across the world as well. A couple of years back we visited Hershey's and took a tour inside the chocolate factory. We were amazed by how commercially packaged chocolate bars are being produced starting from cocoa beans without a single human intervention.

The latest inclusion to the list is the self-driven cars. I wonder if drivers all over the world are going to lose their jobs in next few years or decades.

I am a selfish person and have a habit of connecting everything I say with what I do. So, please bear with me...

If we look at the historical pattern, any mechanical, logical and analytical jobs have slowly been taken over by machines over the years.

But, fortunately, machines have two big limitations.

1. They can't connect with human emotions to produce arts; and
2. They can't invent other machines.
 
Now, what does this mean to the software testing world? (Here you go!)

Very simple. Manual testing jobs are going to go away in a few years or decades. And this is because this is a mechanical, logical and analytical job.

What is the way out then?

Be an artist or an inventor (or both). Keep in mind the 'survival of the fittest' theory of the great Charles Darwin.

You might argue that not everyone is an artist or an inventor.

If I could borrow some thoughts from the great author and public speaker Seth Godin, I would ask you, how do you know that you are not an artist or an inventor? Did you try to be one? Thomas Alva Edison was not an inventor until he invented the light bulb! Mark Twain was not a writer before he wrote Tom Sawyer!

You don't have to be Thomas Alva Edison or Mark Twain. But you can start making small differences in the work that you do, however insignificant that might be. A difference that only a human can make. That will make you an artist. That will make you an inventor.