Automation, Workforce Redesign, and the Future of Work in Manufacturing: Skill Shifts, Retraining, and Productivity Impacts

Abstract

The manufacturing sector stands at the nexus of technological innovation and labor transformation, making it a critical case study for understanding the impacts of automation, workforce redesign, and the future of work. The rapid proliferation of digital technologies—artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), and advanced data analytics—has propelled a new era of intelligent automation, raising profound questions about the nature of work, skill requirements, training needs, and productivity within manufacturing and related industries (Amenyo, 2018; Pastor-Escuredo, 2021). While previous industrial revolutions have also been characterized by labor-saving technologies and job restructuring, the scale, scope, and velocity of current changes, particularly with the advent of generative AI, distinguish the present transition (Peppiatt, 2024; Frank, 2023).