Robots to steal job from 5.1 million people?

(Photo: William Whitehurst/Corbis)

The projection by WEF, which is holding its annual meeting in the Swiss ski resort this week, assumes a total loss of 7.1 million jobs, offset by a gain of 2 million new positions, Reuters reports.

According to this British news agency, the 15 economies covered by the survey account for approximately 65 percent of the world’s total workforce.

The WEF's "Future of Jobs" report highlights the challenges posed by modern technologies that are automating and making redundant multiple human tasks.

According to the report, jobs would be displaced in every industry, although the impact would vary considerably, with the biggest negative losses likely to be in healthcare, followed by the energy and financial sector.

Women will be the biggest losers as their jobs are often concentrated in low-growth or declining areas such as sales, office and administrative roles, the report said.

The International Labor Organization, part of the United Nations, has already forecasted an increase in global unemployment of 11 million by 2020, Reuters reminds.

Two-thirds of the projected losses are expected to fall in the office and administrative sectors as smart machines take over more routine tasks, according to latest findings.

The WEF has made "the fourth industrial revolution" - a topic covering robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and biotechnology - the official theme of this year's Davos meeting, which runs from January 20 to 23, Reuters stresses.