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Do people want automation?
I saw the online tool where you can see where your job ranks in the great automation firing line. I was surprised that accountancy came so high on the list. It's possible it's another example of people not really understanding what accountants do - if you think accountants are the proverbial bean-counters, then you can conclude a machine can count beans more efficiently than a person.
Leaving aside these misconceptions, another limiting factor for technology is what people want. In the 90s everyone was talking about video phones being the next step forward in communications, but in reality people didn't like the idea of someone seeing their face and preferred the anonymity of voice-only phones. When texts came along - which meant we don't even need to speak - people grabbed that technology with both hands, even though you could argue it was a step backwards.
So, in twenty years time, if you're in hospital do you want an android (say like Twiki from Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) to trundle up to your bed and ask how you're feeling? Or do you want a human being who is using technology to help diagnose your condition and make themselves more efficient? I definitely would prefer the latter.
Time to change career then
Having a few minutes to kill (robots not yet having taken over my job) I thought I'd try to find the most secure profession among those listed in the online tool. Barristers and judges do OK (320th on the list of 366 jobs) - presumably we'll need them to argue about all those Man v Machine court cases. Psychologist was the best I could find - 360th least at risk. Can anyone find a better option? Some smart-arsed robot is probably going to beat us all to it!
Scroll down the page!
D'oh! Answered my own question by scrolling down the page (I'm sure a robot would have got there quicker!). The job least likely to get replaced by a machine is a publican or manager of licensed premises. Which is great news because it means that when you've been made redundant at least there will be a friendly human being on hand to help you drown your sorrows.
I want to see an HMRC robot arguing with a robot accountant.
I want to see an HMRC robot arguing with a robot accountant.
Me or Metal Micky?
There appears to be two kinds of approach to technology on AW these days. Either accountants who are "behind the times" need to instantly "embrace" the cloud or some such device in order to avoid being doomed or alternatively are all going to be made redundant by it. I on the other hand am with FrancoisB on this one. Regardless of the state of technology, clients with plans or problems are always going to want to discuss them one-on-one as and when or before they arise with their accountant. It's simple human nature.
Devil in the detail
One of the least replaceable jobs is FD - I guess it depends what the accountant is actually doing.