AI and the Disappearing Job List: Russian Experts Weigh in on the Next Wave of Automation
Artificial intelligence is not just reshaping how we work—it’s redefining who works.
According to a recent report by Rossiyskaya Gazeta, Russian labor experts warn that several traditional professions may soon vanish under the weight of advancing algorithms.
At the highest risk? Roles heavy on routine and low on human nuance. Cashiers, office managers, call center operators, bank clerks, and postal workers top the endangered list. “Algorithms now outperform humans in speed and accuracy for many repetitive tasks,” notes Alexander Safonov, professor at Russia’s Financial University.
But the outlook isn’t universally grim. The World Economic Forum projects that 92 million jobs will disappear by 2030, but 170 million new ones will emerge—primarily in tech, data analytics, and AI operations. In other words, job loss may be less extinction than evolution.
For now, cost remains a barrier to full automation. Human workers still edge out machines on price in many industries. Yet AI-powered tools like chatbots and neural network-based assistants are already nibbling away at roles in sales, consulting, and customer service.
Even so, some sectors appear AI-resistant—at least for now. Education and healthcare require emotional intelligence and nuanced human judgment. Teachers, mid-level clinicians, and other interpersonal professions are expected to remain in demand.
Farida Mirzabalaeva of Plekhanov Russian University adds accountants, marketers, taxi drivers, journalists, designers, and warehouse workers to the risk register. With generative AI now capable of producing both written content and images, creative and clerical jobs alike are under pressure.
However, don’t count out plumbers, electricians, lawyers, artists, builders—or generals. These roles demand hands-on expertise, situational awareness, and a very human mix of improvisation and intuition. For now, at least, they remain safely analog in an increasingly digital world.
