20.1 Million People in Russia Subject to Risk of Digitalization and Automation

A study by the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of Russia has revealed that by 2030, 45.5% of the working population in Russia will find their jobs obsolete, according to iz.ru.

These employees will have to either leave the labor market or undergo retraining. It is important to note that this affects formally employed individuals. The study's authors estimate that 20.1 million people will be subject to the "risks of digitalization and automation." Experts believe that a significant portion of jobs in the hospitality and restaurant industry could be handled by robots.

The sectors identified include processing industries (60%), agriculture and forestry (58%), retail trade (53%), and extraction of natural resources (51%). “It is more accurate to speak about the overall harmfulness of automation. However, just because you are subject to replacement (i.e., you can be replaced by technology) does not mean that you will be replaced tomorrow,” stated Stepan Zemtsov, a staff member of the academy and one of the study's authors.

According to him, this process will take a considerable amount of time, allowing workers to retrain and change their job functions. A potential solution to this issue could involve imposing taxes on robots (the funds could be directed toward social support) or transitioning to a four-day workweek.