Artificial intelligence and automation are seeping into our daily working lives -- and female office workers are among those whose jobs are being taken over by machines. That's according to new research provided to ABC News by an Australian teaching organisation that's urging people to upskill so they don't find themselves out of work. Pearson's research looks at roles that are likely to be automated as technology advances. Historically, much of the conversation when it comes to automation has been about robots taking over factory jobs, or even replacing retail assistants in the form of self-service check-outs at supermarkets. Pearson's data also shows the less obvious pictures of automation encroaching into office environments, including for medical receptionists, accountants and personal assistants.

CHIEF financial officers (CFOs) and their finance teams need to understand how to anticipate and respond to artificial intelligence (AI), as it will be a key frontier technology to grow Singapore's economy in the years ahead, CPA Australia said on Thursday. The accounting professional body also urged professionals in the sector to upskill, particularly in terms of data mining, extraction and faster interpretation of big data. To help them navigate this digital journey, CPA Australia has published a resource titled Charting the Future of Accountancy with AI, in collaboration with Singapore Management University's School of Accountancy. The practical guide looks at how AI will reshape the accounting and finance sector in the coming years, and what the profession can do to continue to operate alongside the evolving technology and their changing roles. It draws on insights from professional services firms Accenture, Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC, as well as the Singapore Management University.

BUSINESSES in Australia such as law and accounting firms, technology companies, and medical facilities are staffed with professionals certified by government bodies. In order to ensure these professionals stay up-to-date and relevant, the governing bodies often require that they receive training on an ongoing basis. CPA Australia and the Lawyers Society of South Australia, for example, require members undergo 20 and 10 hours of CPD training per year and offer seminars and sessions to help meet that requirement. However, practically speaking, the training on offer might not be directly relevant to the businesses or jobs that these professionals are performing on a daily basis. For example, CPA Australia might offer a seminar on understanding wealth management in the accounting context. Although that knowledge is relevant to a CPA in general, it might not be suited to someone handling internal audit for a manufacturing entity.