The future of work: A letter in 2074
The risk of technological disruptions cannot be overlooked. White-collar jobs/desk Jobs have not been spared either by the AI monster; thus, without deliberate interventions by the relevant policy makers, this could widen inequality and leave many workers vulnerable.
Musekura Kenedy.
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OPINION
By Musekura Kenedy
Recently, Uganda joined the rest of the world to celebrate International Labour Day, also known as May Day. May 1, has been set aside on the annual calendar to celebrate and honour the achievements of workers and advocate for their rights globally.
This is an opportune moment to reflect not only on the dignity of work and the contribution of workers, but also on the evolving nature of work itself.
Across the globe, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming industries, redefining jobs and reshaping economies. Uganda, with its youthful population and growing digital ecosystem, stands at a critical juncture where the future of work must be actively shaped rather than passively experienced.
AI presents both promise and disruptions to both developed nations and developing nations, such as the Pearl of Africa. On one hand, it offers opportunities to boost productivity, enhance service delivery and unlock innovation in Uganda’s critical sectors such as agriculture, education, health and finance.
On the other hand, AI raises concerns about job displacements, particularly for routine and repetitive tasks. A significant portion of Uganda’s workforce is engaged in informal and low-skilled labour. The risk of technological disruptions cannot be overlooked. White-collar jobs/desk Jobs have not been spared either by the AI monster; thus, without deliberate interventions by the relevant policy makers, this could widen inequality and leave many workers vulnerable.
Enter The Harvard Business Review, a by-monthly USA based publication. At the start of every year, it tends to publish a special report predicting the year ahead. In this year's edition, themed: The Year in Tech 2026’’ it featured, among other articles, a study titled: "What 570 experts predict the future of work will look like".
In the study, they identified 570 experts from tech, economics, and writing/journalism. For space purposes, I may not delve into details of the study. However, I found their timeline on the future of work and predictions quite insightful and scary, and its worthy contemplating this month. In the study experts drawn from various fields where asked to rank the likelihood of predictions of work made by tech entrepreneurs, economists and Journalists in 485 newspapers articles, 570 experts from these fields landed on the following course as mostly likely to occur from 2025- 274 and allow me to quote it verbatim in bullet form just the way the Harvard Business Review reproduced it for benefit of my fellow compatriots who did not get opportunity to access the Review and it goes:
- 2025: Technology requires constant re/up skilling by workers.
- 2026: Job tasks are partially automated.
- 2029: New technologies create new types of occupations and industries.
- 2030: More and more occupations are augmented by AI, helping people work more efficiently and productively.
- 2033: Major ecological disasters occur.
- 2035: Economic Equality increases dramatically.
- 2037: People work alongside robot colleagues. More and more jobs are entirely replaced by technology.
- 2044: Surveillance societies become the norm worldwide.
- 2046: Automation leads to workweeks, increased leisure time, and a renaissance of human craft work.
- 2050: Labour markets worldwide are faced with mass unemployment.
- 2051: Governments introduce universal basic income.
- 2052: Humanity depends on technology for everything.
- 2053: Breakthroughs in longevity research drastically extend the life span of the technocratic elite.
- 2063: Technocratic elites start colonising other planets.
- 2065: All human qualities are surpassed by intelligent technology
- 2074: Human civilisation is irreversibly changed by an uncontrollable superintelligence beyond our comprehension (technological singularity).
Some of these mega trends and others have been featured and frequently highlighted for quite some time in other reputable organisations and companies in their annual and quarterly publications, such as The World Economic Forum, Price Water Coopers, MC Kensey, etc. The question will Uganda take hide and adjust accordingly, both by the government and the private sector, or will we remain acting normally in abnormal times? The ball is our court.
The writer is a lawyer and Tech & Digital Policy Analyst
musekurakennedy@gamail.com