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JoeStuckInOH

(544 posts)
8. I believe we're headed for 20-30% unemployment in the next decade - UNRELATED to Trump.
Wed May 3, 2017, 06:44 PM
May 2017

Can't stop Automation. Americans demand higher wages and the cost of effective automation drops year-by-year. Eventually, the cost savings of automation can't be ignored by businesses.

I'll bet over 75% of professional drivers (cabs, escorts, trucking, transit, delivery, etc...) are out of a job in the next 10-15 years. Professional drivers employ the largest single "group" of employees in the US.

We're already watching retail stores, large and small, go out of business everywhere. Even in affluent communities. Internet shopping and the low overhead of drop-shipped imported goods directly to consumers is making brick and mortar retail stores an unsustainable business model. (ie: Amazon)

I also believe fast food workers will take a huge hit as well. In western europe, many of the fast food chain places already have ordering kiosks and you swipe your card after picking your items on the touch screen. It's only a matter of time before the food cooking is (even more) automated and it only takes 2 people to "run" a McDonalds.

I think cashiers will also all-but disappear... even in retail. There's stores out there where you scan the barcode with your smartphone as you put the item in your basket and that it... paid for. just leave when your done making selections and no lines to wait in for checkout.

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