The 21st century has already brought astonishing technological achievements. From smartphones to internet shopping, our lives are transformed in many ways, and the world of work is affected in particularly dramatic ways.

Yet these changes are not always positive, and any benefits are not always widely shared. This programme, with the support of Citi, is investigating the implications of a rapidly changing technological landscape for economies and societies.

The programme will provide an in-depth understanding of how technology is transforming the economy, to help leaders create a successful transition into new ways of working in the 21st Century.

The programme will provide novel and relevant evidence on:

• How technology is transforming companies and industries;
• Why some places are better at adapting to this transformation;
• Related implications for living standards, inequality and social mobility.

The Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Work is part of a research partnership between the Oxford Martin School and Citi, analysing some of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st Century. As well as collaborating on research, the Oxford Martin School and Citi are publishing joint Citi Global Perspectives & Solutions (Citi GPS) reports, most recently Technology at Work v2.0.

Automation and the future of work – understanding the numbers

In 2013, we published a paper entitled “The Future of Employment: How Susceptible Are Jobs to Computerisation?”, estimating that 47% of U.S. jobs are at risk of automation. Since then, numerous studies have emerged, arriving at very different conclusions. Many policymakers naturally find it hard to make sense of these results. Which study is right? And why do they arrive at very different conclusions? In this article, we shall seek to explain why these estimates diverge.