July 16: If you work a repetitive, predictable job, chances are a robot might replace you in the next couple of decades.

So believes Marc Saxer, a resident representative in India of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, a Germany-based organisation that campaigns for social democracy. Saxer was speaking on Robots, Jobless Growth: How can India create livelihoods in the Digital Age? at a THINK lecture organised by The Bengal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with The Telegraph.

Saxer spoke about how the age of the robots is a logical sequence in the longer capitalist cycles of growth and recession. For him, the robotisation of the economy will destroy jobs that can be coded.

Missing the bus

According to Saxer, robots will enter India's economy in 10-15 years and because of the age of robots, India might never be able to industrialise the way China did. This is because automation of jobs in the West would allow them to produce higher-quality goods at home. In other words, India might have missed the bus. The country could be heading for "premature de industrialisation".

Human economy

Saxer explored ideas such as investing in IT and internet-related services to make up for the loss. But he pointed out that these economic sectors will not be able to make up for the job loss caused by automation, especially if applied to agriculture.

Another solution might be protectionism. However, Saxer warned that a protectionist policy might work in the short term, but would eventually do more harm than good.

Instead, Saxer suggested a shift towards a human economy that brings together robots and humans in harmony. While robots will take over jobs that can be automated, human beings focus on jobs with a specific skill-set.

A new social contract

Saxer believes that "human capital will be the new driving force". Life-long learning, and widespread remuneration for service such as the care industry and research will form the basis of tomorrow's economy.

While still capitalist in nature, a strong social element will have to be included.