FROM TH E E D I TO R Man versus machine T o begin with, a guarantee: with the exception of a short piece of example text on page 38, not a word of this magazine has been written by anything other than a human. But, of course, it could have been. As our feature on the future of artificial intelligence shows, AI has evolved beyond the critical point where it can now do jobs including complex tasks such as writing articles, and even putting together whole publications. Whether computer-generated content can be as meaningful or enjoyable as one written by a team of people or if anyone would even want to read it is debatable; however, with computers now also capable of taking orders, providing quotes, organising delivery schedules, handling customer queries, and much more, there are clear implications of AI technology for the future of jobs in the moving industry. Apart from packing and moving items and the other physical activities involved in a move, much of the process can be automated. Nevertheless, most contributors to our piece believe that while there are certainly changes coming, in fact, it will largely be everyday tasks such as data entry which can occur at many stages of a relocation, are prone to human error, and are generally less rewarding that will be the ones to automate. This, they say, will free up people to focus on creating the best possible experiences of moving and that is where companies can really differentiate. It remains to be seen whether firms will see the advent of powerful AI tools as an opportunity to strip out employee costs (at a time when many are struggling to recruit in any case), rather than reassign redundant staff to client-facing roles and enhancing the client experience. But there are good reasons for optimism. One of these is the attitude of up-andcoming, younger movers, who are the ones who will make decisions and shape the business of the future. In this next generation-themed issue of FIDI Focus, you will find these younger movers on excellent form. Having grown up with fast-paced, disruptive technology, they are comfortable with the changes it may bring; but they put humans, and accompanying values including sustainability, diversity, and social responsibility, at the very centre of their world. This will inform their choices about where and how automation is implemented in the global mobility industry of tomorrow. DOMINIC WEAVER 11 FF311 Sept-Nov 23 pp10-11 Editor s Column.indd 11 11/09/2023 14:45