The Future of the Professions

by Daniel Susskind

First published 2017

Richard and Daniel Susskind examine how technology will transform professional work in the coming decades. The authors argue that doctors, lawyers, teachers, accountants, architects, clergy, and consultants cannot continue operating as they did in the twentieth century. Internet-connected systems and artificial intelligence will fundamentally alter how society accesses specialized knowledge. The Susskinds challenge the monopolies that current professions enjoy, describing them as outdated, expensive, and accessible only to elite clients. They present six alternative models for delivering expertise to broader populations. The book explores critical questions about employment prospects when machines surpass human performance, who controls online expertise, and which tasks remain exclusively human. Drawing from detailed research across more than ten professions, the authors provide concrete examples of technological disruption already underway and offer the first comprehensive evaluation of professional relevance in the digital age.

Genres: science, business, computers, non-fiction, artificial-intelligence, academic

Vibes: thought-provoking

Tropes: non-fiction

Period: 20th-century, 21st-century

368 pages · Paperback · Oxford University Press

More by Daniel Susskind

Readers who liked The Future of the Professions also liked

View on Siftivo