New study shows high rates of Indianapolis workers at risk of automation

Automation and digital advancement are expected to create millions of jobs, but it also puts many workers at risk of losing their jobs. Some professions and regions are more susceptible to this than others.

A new study suggests that Indianapolis has one of the highest percentages of workers in the nation at risk of losing their job to automation. Out of all large U.S. metropolitan areas, Indianapolis ranks 6th highest.

Data from the University of Oxford suggests that lower-wage workers are at the highest risk of becoming replaced by robots. Many of these at-risk jobs are repetitive or require physical labor: like food preparation, production, and transportation.

Jobs at a much lower risk of automation require interpersonal skills and creativity.

Across the country, 42% of workers are at high risk of automation. Almost half of Indianapolis workers are at high risk.

Research from the Brookings Institute also shows that rural communities generally have higher percentages of jobs susceptible to automation than urban areas.

According to the study, metro areas at higher risk include Louisville, Kentucky, and Memphis, Tennessee.