A new study published this month by the National Bureau of Economic Research revealed that an increasing number of Robots are taking over factory floors around the globe as aging workers and a tight labor market threaten to hinder productivity in a variety of industries.

As the world of automation, robotics and technological genius spreads its wings, blue-collar workers between the ages of 36 and 55 are feeling the brunt of the robot rush through lower wages and lost jobs. And countries with the fastest aging workers are dominating automation trends. Unfortunately, robots aren’t just filling in where companies are short-handed and workers are being phased out because of their age. They are instead taking on tasks like welding, packing, auditing and manufacturing- jobs that workers usually perform in the middle of their careers.

Blue-Collar Workers Aren’t the Only Ones Who Could Byte the Dust

While the robot revolution is currently focusing on invading factory floors, experts say that workers shouldn’t plan on the technology stopping there. As robots take over positions in radiology, law and medicine, middle-class workers will almost surely suffer casualties as well. History has indicated, however, that resisting technological advances is futile. The question, after all, isn’t whether the robots are coming, or whether they will bring improvements to the world we know now. The question, is when will they be here, and what will they leave in their wake.

Robotics and artificial intelligence are driving America forward, but how fast is too fast? The robot revolution is progressing on a substantially shorter timeline than workplace revolutions of the past. And experts say that institutions, not to mention people, can’t keep up with the rapid rise of automation. Unlike earlier technological revolutions, like the adoption of information technology that drove the growth of productivity to levels that had not been seen since the early 20th century, the robot revolution will probably increase production and improve the economy on a much more gradual scale that is likely going to continue to revitalize American industry for many years to come.

Saying Goodbye to the Work-World as We Know it

As the innovation, automation, artificial intelligence and robot rebels continue to reshape the working world, one famous study predicts that a whopping 47 percent of jobs that currently exist in America are at high risk of succumbing to the robot revolution within just a few years. Fortunately, there is still hope for the millions of workers who will be affected. So how will some of the most popular jobs in America fare when automation and artificial intelligence take over?

• Seasoned attorneys will likely hold their own for a while when the robot rush really begins. Their careers won’t go untouched, however. Artificial intelligence will be completely capable of performing tasks like assisting with discovery, creating contracts, and similar jobs. Their participation should open the door for lawyers to pursue other exciting opportunities like helping to develop the new legal framework for new technologies.
• Construction and a number of other manual labor jobs will likely see massive changes to their job descriptions, but they should still be able to compete in a world that’s filled with robots. As the Amazon warehouses have demonstrated, robots will likely make humans’ jobs easier and more fulfilling instead of turning them into a thing of the past.
• Cutting-edge technology will probably have a huge impact on various jobs in the medical field in the future. Since society is already beginning to witness robot surgeries, diagnosis and treatment recommendations that are assisted by algorithms and even wearable devices that help to alleviate certain ailments, innovation in the medical field is really nothing new. Instead of replacing humans in the near future, however, robots will likely complement the performance of doctors and other healthcare workers.

Although a number of jobs are at a very high risk for turning things over to robots, certain occupations are considered extremely safe. The person that takes your order at the drive-thru burger joint down the road, for example, might want to begin looking into following a new career path. But many other jobs on all levels, like hostage negotiators, therapists, police, lawyers and others that require more of a human touch are probably pretty safe from the robot revolution- at least for now.