Can Robots Do Marketers' Jobs?

One of the more frightening effects of technology is the potential for computers, algorithms and robots to make certain jobs obsolete. However, McKinsey researchers Michael Chui, James Manyika and Mehdi Miremadi say that the best way to analyze how machines will change jobs is to look at individual tasks rather than entire jobs. In a new study, they found that fewer than 5 percent of jobs can be fully automated. But machines can perform about a third of daily tasks in more than half of all jobs. This applies not only to manufacturing and customer service but also to higher-level functions such as marketing. 

 The chart below shows what percentage of the tasks of various marketing professionals could be automated and the number of people doing these jobs in the United States. Even executives can see that more than 10 percent of their tasks are performed by machines, which could open up more room for product development and strategy work. The authors write: "Organizations need to understand where machines can do the job better, what people have an advantage at, and how to reinvent processes to make the most of both kinds of capabilities."

 

HBR Turkiye