A report released by the state of Tennessee suggested up to 1.4 million people are at risk of losing their jobs to automation.
Citing a study by the Center for Economic Research in Tennessee, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported automation could replace nearly 50 percent of the state's workforce.
The findings were published on the Tennessee Workforce Disruption Index last week. According to the report, automation would change the way the workplace is configured and would make new demands on educational facilities.
Randy Boyd, the commissioner of the state's Department of Economic and Community Development, said a massive loss of jobs could be avoided by shifting educational resources and by training workers for the new career opportunities.
He said the people who are most at risk of losing jobs are those who don't have post-secondary skills.
