Care professions: a safe and necessary bet

The transition to the second quarter of the 21st century is marked by the exponential expansion of artificial intelligence, not only in its capabilities but also in the resulting implications for society and the economy.

What is already clear is that, given the capabilities of artificial intelligence models, and given the speed at which they are evolving, in the relatively short term, the transformations that these technologies will bring (and are already bringing) are enormous.

In addition to the ethical issues that are arising and the important security concerns, it is already assumed that the job market will be profoundly affected.

As in other eras and other technological revolutions, there are professions that will no longer be performed by human beings, new ones will emerge, and still others will maintain the need for the human factor.

Among those that will maintain the need for the human factor, care professions stand out. And, unlike other technological revolutions of the past, it's not the more intellectual roles that are spared. In this one, where AI is precisely supplanting human analytical capacity, what remains most unique to humans is relational capacity.

Thus, even within the care professions, the knowledge of relationships becomes more valuable. Robots will operate fantastically. AI models will diagnose with precision. But human relationships, by definition, are only established between human beings.

Thus, several studies have highlighted caring professions (where compassion and interpersonal connection are key skills) as safe bets in terms of employability.

Whether they are professionals in childhood, nursing, gerontology, or social services, those with higher education in these areas gain substantial added value in the market.

Furthermore, demographic challenges, from aging to migration, to work demands that hinder family care, and the wars and poverty that persist everywhere, make these functions necessary in the present and pressing in the future.

When I'm with my social services and gerontology students, whether in their undergraduate or master's programs, I always convey this reality to them: they made the right choice – for themselves and for society.

Professor of Economics and Management at the Porto Higher Institute of Social Services