A World Economic Forum report has suggested that machines will do half of all work tasks by 2025.
According to the report, a so-called "robot revolution" could create as many as 97 million jobs worldwide - but it would also put other people out of work, thereby putting some communities in a perilous financial position.
Saadia Zahidi, the managing director at the World Economic Forum, said that workers around the globe face a threat from "accelerating automation and the fallout from the Covid-19 recession".
Zahidi added: "[These things have] deepened existing inequalities across labour markets and reversed gains in employment made since the global financial crisis in 2007-2008.
"It's a double disruption scenario that presents another hurdle for workers in this difficult time. The window of opportunity for proactive management of this change is closing fast."
