Experts estimate that millions of jobs will be affected by the rise of robots in the next two decades, and Australian industries might be some of the hardest hit.

Automation and mechanical control have long been used to remove the human elements from industrial processes, and transport is one of the major parts of the chain with actual people involved.

Efficiency, productivity and safety are the three major drawcards for synthetic staff-members, with big savings to be made through such improvements.

But Professor Michael Osborne at Oxford University says the world is now seeing machines and robots engineered to perform tasks that require thinking, and rapid developments in artificial intelligence are enhancing the non-organic workforce.

The Australian researcher working in the UK has contributed to a new report, which found that a staggering 47 per cent of all human occupations could be better performed by robots and advanced machinery in the next twenty years.

Osborne says the estimated global rate applies to Australia, leading to the possibility that millions may find themselves made redundant by robots. 

The shift has become very real for 180 workers at Port Botany in Sydney, where Australia's largest port operator, Patrick Stevedores, is about to deploy driverless robots in place of its previous staff.

Things are changing on land as well, where around half of all iron ore trucks and trains in the Pilbara will soon be operated by robotic drivers working 24 hours a day.

Some reports show there are about 700 industrial robots brought into Australia ever year, and close to 1 million already working internationally.

Many figures across industries are concerned over the rapid rate of automation and job losses, as well as the social inequality that could be increased as the trend continues.

But Professor James Bailey from Melbourne University is somewhat more optimistic.

Dr Bailey said in an interview with the ABC that such technologies often free people up for more important tasks, and can create entirely new jobs which do not currently exist.

“We need to be cautious about making big conclusions about jobs at risk,” he said.

“There's a next wave of computerisation coming and it's a very powerful technology. The kinds of technologies that we're going to get, I think they're going to assist humans in the types of decisions that they reach.

“So I view it as a positive, optimistic type of development that'll free up people's time to focus on higher-level activities.”