The robots are coming and the world of work is set to change forever: recent research from consultants PWC estimates a third of existing jobs are susceptible to automation, due to the use of robots and artificial intelligence (AI) by 2030. The survey adds more weight to a fast-growing body of work on the impact of AI. Take KPMG's recent global CIO survey in conjunction with recruiter Harvey Nash, which found almost two-thirds of CIOs are investing or planning to invest in digital labour, which broadly covers robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence. A quarter of these technology chiefs have already see very effective results. The survey suggests digital leaders are investing in digital labour at four times the rate of other executives.

Industry consultants may soon face a new kind of competition: artificial intelligence. AI is already replacing menial tasks in retail and manufacturing. Other fields such as finance, marketing, and human resource management are increasingly finding use of AI-based solutions for achieving faster results and more accurate analysis. High-profile consultancies too may start to feel the heat soon. Technology vendors are developing AI frameworks from Microsoft and Google to automate tasks usually executed by consulting firms.

This year's survey aims to define the current market trends around the concept of "work," including the impact of the Gig Economy, the extent to which specific technologies pave the road for the Future of Work, and the performance, strategies, and capabilities within today's contingent workforce management (CWM) programs. For the purposes of this research study, "non-employee" talent includes temporary workers (sourced via staffing suppliers), freelancers, independent contractors, robotics, professional services, and "gig" workers.

Thomas Dinsmore is the Director of Product Marketing for Data Science at Cloudera. Previously, as an independent consultant, he provided machine learning market insight to private clients seeking intelligence about the machine learning marketplace. Before launching his consultancy in 2015, he served as an analytics expert for The Boston Consulting Group; Director of Product Management for Revolution Analytics (Microsoft); Solution Architect for IBM Big Data, SAS and PriceWaterhouseCoopers. In a thirty-year career, he has led or contributed to analytic solutions for more than five hundred clients across vertical markets and around the world. Thomas holds an MBA in Accounting and Decision Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School and a BA from Boston University.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is emerging as the defining technology of our age, with many industries already utilising AI in some form. And as humans and machines collaborate more closely, and innovations come out of the research lab and into the mainstream, AI offers transformational possibilities for consumers, businesses and society as a whole. AI has the potential to transform business models – a new industrial revolution. But without assurance over the strategy, how it is implemented and the subsequent outputs and outcomes, boards are wary of giving the green light to AI. And if they do go ahead, they risk operating in the dark.

In the future, we will be competing against medically-enhanced workers who can work longer and harder than us. Artificial intelligence will make it easier to monitor our every move in the office. This may sound like science fiction, but it's a likely reality, according to a new report by professional services firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. The report, which drew upon a team of science researchers and a survey of more than 10,000 workers based in China, Germany, India, the U.K., and the U.S., predicts that rapid advances in technology, resource scarcity, and population demographics are among the key forces that would radically shape the future of work by 2030. According to PwC, these forces will result in four potential futures: one where "humans come first," one where "innovation rules," one where "companies care," and one where "corporate is king."

The rise of advanced data analytics and cognitive technologies has led to an explosion in the use of algorithms across a range of purposes, industries, and business functions. Decisions that have a profound impact on individuals are being influenced by these algorithms--including what information individuals are exposed to, what jobs they're offered, whether their loan applications are approved, what medical treatment their doctors recommend, and even their treatment in the judicial system. What's more, dramatically increasing complexity is fundamentally turning algorithms into inscrutable black boxes of decision making. An aura of objectivity and infallibility may be ascribed to algorithms. But these black boxes are vulnerable to risks, such as accidental or intentional biases, errors, and frauds--raising the question of how to "trust" algorithmic systems.

The way we engage with technology is changing constantly and there's hardly a day that goes by where we don't hear about Artifical Intelligence (AI) and the'rise of machines.' While mature AI-related technologies are still in their infancy, it's a fact that workplace automation is already here across all sectors. From farming to fashion, businesses are using automation to reduce costs and pick up the pace of production. A report from PwC earlier this year claims that in the next 15 years, 30% of jobs in the UK could be affected by automation, with 46.4% of manufacturing jobs and 56.4% of storage jobs being automated by the early 2030s. Despite these high figures, PwC argues that for the most part, automation will enhance productivity, cut costs and add real value to sectors that depend on intelligent human interaction.

Artificial intelligence (AI) could add as much as 1.6 percentage points to China's economic growth rate by 2035, with industries like manufacturing, agriculture and retail seeing the most value from the technology, according to a recent report. As China's economic growth slows, a report by consultancy firm Accenture suggests that the advent of AI could give the country a much-needed boost in productivity and growth, especially as the number of working-age population in the country continues to decline. "AI capabilities have only just matured, such that they are able to interpret data at a speed and a cost that is reasonable and affordable for companies to take advantage of," said Adam Burden, Accenture's global lead for advanced technology & architecture. "The largest area of opportunity for AI in China's growth is absolutely manufacturing...the instrumentation of manufacturing has really only just begun. The Internet of Things, taking data and telemetry off machines and manufacturing lines for greater productivity is really just beginning."