The future of data entry seems to be that the industry will shrink slightly due to advances in technology. Additionally, due to outsourcing, many of the data entry jobs remaining will gradually migrate to India and the Philippines since the cost of labor is currently lower in those countries.

On the other hand, there are more and more websites offering more and more information. Many of these websites have a lot of information that requires data entry. Additionally, as developing countries use computers at a greater rate, they will develop a new need for data entry clerks to assist them with the vast quantity of data.

India is an interesting example. When you need medical help in an industrialized country, you have to submit forms that include your identification, name, medical history, etc. In many parts of rural India, people do not have identification documents, nor do they have an identification number such as a social security number. It is virtually impossible for India to complete any type of accurate census, and they are left to educated guessing. As time goes on, more people in India's countryside will need to get identification documents for driving, work, or medical care, and that data will have to be entered into many databases. So, in the long run, there may be more data entry jobs, not less.