6 Minute English Quiz: Future of Work Insights

Study Notes

6 Minute English is a BBC Learning English programme where Neil and Beth discuss various topics and teach new vocabulary.
In this episode, they talk about predictions for the future of work and the difficulty of making accurate predictions.
One prediction from the 1930s was a television called Smell-o-vision that allows viewers to smell things along with seeing them. Another was a miracle pill that cures all diseases.
Elon Musk recently predicted that artificial intelligence will eventually mean no one has to work.
There have been many predictions about the future of work, including robots taking over most jobs and everyone working from home.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, millions were forced to work from home, making it a reality for some predictions.
The discussion focuses on the predictions for a future of leisure where people relax while robots do all the work.
Professor Brendan Burchell from the University of Cambridge shares his skepticism towards predictions for the future of work.
He notes that predictions of significant reductions in working time have not come to pass in the past.
Andrew Palmer, business editor for The Economist, expresses concern about the impact of AI on jobs but also thinks new jobs will arise.
In a trial of a four-day working week in 2023, 92% of the companies plan to continue with the shorter work week due to its popularity.
The programme introduces various idiomatic expressions and vocabulary, including "take it with a pinch of salt," "track record," "come to pass," "dystopian," "get rid of," and "crop up."

Description

Explore predictions for the future of work and the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs in this episode of 6 Minute English. Learn about historical predictions, skepticism towards future predictions, and the potential for a future of leisure where robots handle most of the work. Discover idiomatic expressions and vocabulary related to predictions and the future.