Dubai: Millennials in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) expect the fourth industrial revolution to have a massive impact their daily lives, with more people accepting that they will trust the decisions taken by a robot, a study revealed.
According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Shaper Survey 2017, 1,600 respondents in the Mena region between the ages of 18 and 35 expect significant changes to their jobs and careers as a result of technological change, and 52 per cent believe that studying and learning will be similarly affected.
About 28 per cent expect the Fourth Industrial Revolution to have a significant impact on their relationships and 15 per cent think it will have an impact on their leisure activities, the World Economic Forum said.
There has been a shift in the way millennials view the emergence of robots in the workplace. Dubai Police, which expects to 25 per cent of all positions taken up by robots by 2030, along with other banks recently launched a robot to do administrative work, and want humans to focus on more value-added work.
About 23 per cent of respondents in the Mena region will agree or strongly agree the decision making capability of decisions made by robot. As far as the acceptability of having an implant under the skin or in their brain to increase capabilities, 21 per cent agreed to the suggestion.
Global survey
Regarding issues facing the region, more than 54 per cent of the respondents say that lack of economic opportunity and employment is the main issue impacting them, compared to 47.3 per cent in South Asia. and 71.5 per cent in Eurasia.
About 54 per cent of the millennials in the region say that start-up ecosystem and entrepreneurship an important factor contributing to youth empowerment, compared to 46.6 per cent in the Eurasia region.
Globally, 28 per cent of more than 30,000 respondents see Artificial Intelligence as the next big technology, followed by biotechnology and robotics, and Internet of Things. However, in the Mena region, Internet of Things holds a strong second position in terms of being considered as the next big technology, with 18.2 per cent votes, far ahead of robotics and biotechnology, which stands at 8.6 per cent and 7.2 per cent, respectively.
“Young people are not only living in an age in which several aspects and applications of technology are becoming increasingly mainstream and integrated in all parts of life, namely jobs, but these tech-savvy individuals are also simultaneously determining their own future job prospects. It could also be argued that they are liable for the shift in the career landscape, even if at least serendipitously,” the WEF said.
