6 February 2026

Artificial Intelligence Is Not Eliminating Professions; It Is Reshaping Them

Digital Transformation
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Artificial Intelligence Does Not Eliminate Professions; It Reshapes Them

Artificial intelligence and robots are taking over repetitive tasks while transforming the nature of professions. According to experts, the primary risk is not the disappearance of jobs but the inability to adapt to transformation. According to information provided by Dr. Şenol Pişkin, faculty member of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at İstinye Üniversitesi, human skills such as empathy, creativity, and crisis management are expected to become even more valuable in the future. With the right education and policies, this process may create new career opportunities rather than unemployment.

The ongoing discussion continues about how developing technology and increasingly widespread artificial intelligence applications in our lives may cause some professions to disappear in the future. According to some experts, white-collar jobs such as law and accounting will be significantly affected by these developments. Dr. Şenol Pişkin stated that artificial intelligence will not eliminate professions but will transform them.

Pişkin, sharing the potential impacts of robots and artificial intelligence on professions, said: “Technological transformation is opening up unprecedented new career paths for us. Soon we will frequently see titles such as ‘Robot Interaction Designer,’ ‘Digital Twin Engineer,’ or ‘AI Ethics Auditor’ on business cards.”

“Production lines and warehouse logistics operations will be highly affected”

In response to the question of which professions robots and artificial intelligence will affect first, Pişkin stated that it is more accurate to use the concept of ‘transforming’ rather than ‘eliminating.’ History shows us that technology tends to evolve rather than eliminate jobs. For example, the automation of looms in the 19th century changed the work of many hand weavers but expanded the textile industry by creating new employment in maintenance, design, and machine operation. Today we are experiencing a similar transformation. Automation and artificial intelligence inherently prioritize tasks that are repetitive, yield measurable outputs, and follow definite rules.

Within this framework, production lines, packaging, and warehouse logistics operations will be among the first areas heavily affected. Additionally, standard reporting processes, data entry, accounting tasks governed by specific rules, and highly repetitive aspects of customer service will experience similar impacts, such as the automatic answering of frequently asked questions.

“The human touch in problem-solving and crisis management remains extremely important”

Pişkin emphasized that the core challenges in employment will take the form of skill mismatches, regional or sectoral inequalities, and short-term job losses accompanied by social and economic tensions. He continued: “In the future, the need for human involvement will depend more on the nature of the task, because tasks that are repetitive, standardized, or measurable—such as certain quality control tests, fixed production steps, or standard reporting—can be handled by robots. However, tasks such as complex clinical decisions and patient-doctor communication are contextual and require empathy. Moral judgments, creative design processes, leadership, and flexible problem-solving in unpredictable situations remain critically important. Robots may achieve very high capacity in areas such as precise manipulation or heavy load handling, but the final decision requiring safety, ethics, and contextual accuracy remains the responsibility of the human expert.”

“A portion of the fear of unemployment is realistic”

Addressing public concerns about unemployment due to automation, Pişkin said: “This fear is not new. The Luddite movement in 19th-century England consisted of workers who attacked machines because they feared their jobs were being taken. Although that fear was understandable, in the long term machines brought prosperity and new job categories. Today, similar fears are understandable, but that is not the only reality. Major technological revolutions have historically changed the nature of jobs more than they have caused net job losses. A portion of the fear of unemployment is realistic because technological transformations can reduce certain jobs, and this process can disproportionately affect specific groups. However, historically new technologies have also created new sectors, professions, and economic opportunities. The critical factor is managing the transition: if government policies, educational institutions, and the business sector act in harmony to expand reskilling and competency-building programs, the fear of unemployment will manifest more as role transformation and repositioning. Otherwise, structural unemployment may increase in the short and medium term. Furthermore, income inequality and social insecurity may also worsen, which is the main risk. With correct policies (reskilling programs and social protection networks) and a culture focused on continuous individual learning, this transition can be managed.”

“One of the risks is that a segment of society may be entirely excluded”

Regarding other risks, Pişkin said: “If the right steps are not taken, the greatest danger we face is the complete exclusion of a segment of society, meaning deep economic and social marginalization. In other words, a return to historical levels of social polarization and economic inequality. Additionally, uncontrolled artificial intelligence systems without ethical and regulatory infrastructures may reinforce biases, violate privacy, and be used as manipulation tools. The path to managing these risks is not to ban technology but to transform education, produce inclusive social policies, and establish ethical rules from the outset.”

“We are talking about robots that are not only capable but also more ‘gentle’”

Pişkin also shared key recent technical developments in robotics. He said: “Technology is advancing at a staggering pace. Today, we are talking about robots that not only ‘perform actions’ but can ‘see’ through deep learning, understand natural language, and interact with their environment more ‘gently’ through soft robotics.

Developments such as increasingly precise and affordable sensors and LiDAR technologies have effectively given robots new sensory capabilities. The journey from brute force in factories to artificial intelligence that once defeated humans in chess and now reaches the precision of surgical operations reflects this progression. Examples of critical advancements include humanoid and bionic robots, cloud robotics and swarm intelligence, brain-computer interfaces (BCI) and neuro-robotics, and advanced perception and computer vision technologies. However, just because a robot can perform a task technically does not mean it can be immediately integrated into our lives; safety and ethics remain our red lines.”

“New professions will emerge”

Pişkin outlined new professions that may arise from this transformation: “Technological transformation is presenting unprecedented new career paths. Soon we will see titles such as ‘Robot Interaction Designer,’ ‘Digital Twin Engineer,’ or ‘AI Ethics Auditor’ on business cards. Fields such as medical robotics expertise and data privacy law are already becoming critical. Just as every technological wave historically brought forth its own ‘masters,’ this era will also produce its own specialists. Other possible roles include AI/Robotics Ethics Specialist, Augmented Reality Experience Designer, Human-Robot Team Manager, AI-supported Personalized Learning Path Advisor, Cyber-Physical System Maintenance Technician, and Data Detective (to ensure transparency in AI decision-making).”

“AI will take routine work and elevate quality”

Pişkin also discussed how the Turkish labor market might be affected by the impacts of artificial intelligence: “For Türkiye, the effects of this process will depend on how rapidly we adapt. Our manufacturing industry may become more competitive in the global market through automation, but if this transition is not well managed, regional disparities may deepen. In the service sector, AI will take routine tasks and elevate quality. Given Türkiye’s demographic structure and industrial composition, it will experience both risks and opportunities simultaneously. Historically, our industrialization efforts have created strong infrastructures in certain sectors. Now we have the opportunity to crown this foundation with ‘Smart Production.’ While automation may increase in traditional manufacturing and agriculture, there will be substantial demand for human resources in fields such as software development, robotics systems integration, data science, and cybersecurity. The critical factor is to direct our young population toward these emerging fields through education reform. If we equip them with the right educational policies and R&D incentives, we can turn the threat into an opportunity.”




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