Future of Work in the Age of Intelligent Machines

How are intelligent machines reshaping the nature of work? In this talk, I explore how advances in artificial intelligence and automation are transforming tasks, jobs, and organizations, and what that means for workers and society. I argue that understanding the future of work requires attention not just to what systems can do, but to how they are embedded in socio-technical systems, i.e., combinations of people, technologies, tasks, and institutions.

I trace historical shifts—from the agricultural and industrial revolutions to today’s AI wave—to show how new technologies repeatedly disrupt labor markets, create new roles, and alter the skills workers need. Through real-world examples—from credit card fraud detection to warehouse robotics—I suggest that automation rarely eliminates entire jobs, but instead reconfigures tasks, often pushing workers to the periphery of systems. This shift brings both new opportunities and challenges, including concerns about transparency, accountability, skill development and job satisfaction.

Finally, I offer a forward-looking framework for human-centered AI and the design of hybrid systems that support rather than sideline human expertise. I call on researchers, technologists, and policymakers to help shape systems that are not only technically powerful but also socially responsive and just.