Question

so, while computers create jobs in some occupations, they also reduce employment in others. the total effect on unemployment depends on which tendency is stronger. some of my research shows that the net effect, across the economy, is a wash: computers create about as many jobs as they eliminate. in other words, automation is not causing persistent unemployment. that could change decades into the future, as new generations of software powered by artificial intelligence becomes ever more capable of advanced tasks. but in the near term, the story is much different. a new study by mckinsey & company took a detailed look at work tasks that are likely to be automated and found that only about 5 percent of jobs are at risk of being completely automated in the near future. the main effect of automation for the time being will not be to eliminate jobs, but to redefine them—changing the tasks and the skills needed to perform them. even so, this means that automation poses a major challenge. there will be jobs, but workers will only be able to get them if they have the new sets of skills that computers make important. it’s not just computer skills that are in demand, because automation can change the nature of jobs. for example, bank tellers have become more like marketing specialists, telling customers about bank loans, cds, and other financial offerings. notice & note: how do the results of the mckinsey & company study in paragraph 9 relate to the writers argument? mark these results in the text. evaluate: do these numbers help prove a point?

Explanation:

The text discusses the impact of automation (including computers) on employment. The McKinsey & Company study's result (only about 5 percent of jobs are at risk of being completely automated in the near - future) supports the writer's argument that in the near term, automation is not causing widespread job elimination but redefining jobs. These numbers help prove the point about the current limited scope of job - elimination due to automation and the importance of redefining job skills.

Answer:

The results of the McKinsey & Company study support the writer's argument by showing that in the near future, only a small percentage (5 percent) of jobs are at risk of complete automation, indicating that automation is currently redefining rather than eliminating jobs. The numbers help prove the point about the current state of automation's impact on employment.