Robots could replace 5 million jobs by 2020, report claims

To arrive at those numbers, the WEF surveyed 15 countries that make up 1.9 billion workers, including China, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, the UK and US. There is hope, though, and it comes in the form of retraining workers so that they can adapt as technology changes. "To prevent a worst-case scenario -- technological change accompanied by talent shortages, mass unemployment and growing inequality -- reskilling and upskilling of today's workers will be critical," WEF founder Klaus Schwab and board member Richard Samans explained. The full report, titled "The Future of Jobs," is available here.