technology 技能

If you’re in a job performing tedious tasks, you might think that a robot could do the work instead. But perhaps we underestimate how much technology already helps with the activities that we would otherwise have to do. And as artificial intelligence progresses we might find it replaces us in the workplace altogether.

For now, robotic technology is providing a helping hand for businesses, particularly in manufacturing, assisting humans in performing work more efficiently and sometimes more accurately. For online shopping, for example, robots have become essential in giant warehouses. They sort and move millions of objects of all different shapes and sizes, although humans are still needed to pick and distribute the goods.

The advancement of robotics in the workplace is good for some businesses; the ones who research, develop, build and use them. The British government estimates that by 2035, artificial intelligence could add around £630bn to the UK economy. But there are still tasks that robots can’t yet do, and that’s the challenge for companies such as Automata. Its co-founder, Suryansh Chandra, told the BBC that his technology will eliminate boring, repetitive jobs that humans don't like and aren't very good at, and also create new ones that are likely to replace them.

It seems inevitable that robots will eventually be able to do more and more of the jobs that are currently performed by humans, so should we be worried by the rise of the machines? Some experts fear hundreds of thousands of jobs could disappear as robots replace human workers. A report by the OECD suggests that 14% of jobs are "at high risk of automation" and 32% of jobs could be "radically transformed", with the manufacturing sector at the highest risk.

But as complete automation is some way off, for now we’ll have to work side-by-side with our robot colleagues - and manage to get along with them before they learn to kick us out of the door!

robot 机器人artificial intelligence 人工智能robotic 像机器人的a helping hand 帮助，助（人）一臂之力efficiently 有效地accurately 准确地essential 必不可少的sort 挑拣，分类distribute 分送advancement 发展robotics 机器人技能research 研究develop 开拓eliminate 肃清repetitive 重复的inevitable 不可避免的automation 自动化transformed 被彻底改变

选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. The new system in the canteen is working very _______ - I no longer have to queue for a sandwich!

efficient efficiently efficientley efficients

2. Because of the _______ in medical research, more and more people with cancer now survive and live a long and healthy life.

automation accurately transformed advancement

3. Climate change experts say it’s now _______ that the ice caps will melt and sea levels will rise.

inevitable essential research accurately

4. The car industry is cutting its workforce due to _______.

automation automatic automobiles automations

5. My doctor has told me to _______ any dairy products from my diet.

research essential eliminate transform