AI seems to be putting the jobs of everybody at stake. After all, it can substitute humans quite easily at almost everything it does and come up with better results in a whole range of jobs traditionally thought to be the sole preserve of regular people. AI is known to write, code, program, analyse, interpret and do anything that a thinking person can do.
Where does that leave teachers, lawyers, clerks, technology workers, surgeons and indeed pilots and soldiers? Will AI make them all redundant one not very far away day?
There will doubtless be job losses linked to AI adoption in the years ahead alongside new jobs that would have been created by it, but will all this be on a scale that ordinary folks going about the business of their life need to worry about? According to a Goldman Sachs forecast AI software may possibly automate the equivalent of as many as 300 million full-time roles worldwide by 2030.[1]
That notwithstanding the situation right now has more to do with companies figuring out if the high cost of AI deployment is worth the investment than actually replacing people on account of it. However, the situation is likely to evolve over the coming years, leading to an incremental increase in the adoption of AI around the world.
IMF estimates that AI will impact 40% of jobs worldwide by way of completely replacing some and complementing others.[2]It also holds that the impact of AI on jobs will be as much as 60% in advanced countries. It estimates that the impact of AI on jobs will be 40% in emerging markets and 26% in low-income countries. While emerging markets and low-income countries may have less to fear from AI-caused job disruptions, these economies will, however, lose out on the economic benefits that accrue from the adoption of that technology. That will largely be on account of a paucity of infrastructure and skills required to usher in AI on scale. That in turn could result in lost economic opportunity sparking unemployment in the long run.
AI needs to benefit all-Inclusive AI
We already know about the deleterious impact of the digital divide on the equitable distribution of wealth and resources and have found ways and means to try and fix that. An AI divide on top of a digital divide would deliver a devastating double blow to vulnerable nations and peoples around the world.
The more AI becomes a part of every aspect of our lives, the more care needs to be exercised to ensure that it does not incorporate any kind of biases (algorithmic bias, confirmation bias, dataset bias, association bias and so on) that could disadvantage certain sections of people. This necessitates creating inclusive AI by way of putting diverse teams in place, using balanced datasets and developing a sophisticated understanding of the possible impact of bias on how AI functions.[3]
If deployed the right way AI can actually help the recruitment and hiring process by helping remove bias and making it more objective. It can also make the talent pool more broad-based. Besides, it helps provide fair access to employment opportunities and helps create an inclusive work culture.
Which jobs are most at risk?
The fact that AI will make some jobs redundant by taking them over partially or completely is undeniable and one should prepare for such a scenario in the very near future. Let us look at some professions which one can expect to be majorly impacted by automation in the next 5 to 10 years, especially in the developed world.
- Computer Programmer
With Generative AI tools demonstrating its ability to write code flawlessly, it is a matter of time, before entry-level programming jobs disappear altogether.
2. Research Analyst
AI has the ability to perform the role of a marketing research analyst and financial analyst to some extent thanks to its ability to easily process large data sets and obtain cutting insights which it can then present in the shape of easy to comprehend visuals. Given that it can do this autonomously without human intervention, you do see a lot of these jobs disappearing.
3. Customer Service
One can see the evidence of this all around us what with the proliferation of chatbots and virtual assistants being able to manage a range of customer queries and requests. This is evident across a range of industries like utility services, providers, medical services, banks, car dealerships, et al. Even jobs like those of check-out clerks at grocery stores may be on their way out, on account of AI-powered self-checkout systems.
4. Paralegal
Given that AI can be easily deployed to collect facts pertaining to cases, carry out research and even write legal reports, the role of the paralegal may eventually become redundant.
5. Graphic Designers
The profession of a graphic designer is under direct threat from AI, what with the latter’s ability to create professional images and spectacular visuals. More and more businesses can be expected to rely less on human graphic designers and turn to AI ones instead.
What jobs are safe?
Howsoever capable AI may become, it is not even close to being a substitute for a human being with all their complexity, ingenuity and emotional capabilities. Let us look at the jobs that are not likely to be majorly impacted by the inexorable march of AI in our lives.
- Artist
Artistic expression is a uniquely human trait that AI can at best only ape and never replace. There will always be a premium on original human creativity. Doubtless, there will always be artistic geniuses in the age of AI to inspire mankind.
2. Writer
AI tools may help the process of writing by helping with ideation here and there, but they can never replace a human writer in terms of their ability to express themselves in a unique human manner with all their idiosyncrasies and peculiar insights. Ernest Hemmingway is not making way for the Hemmingway app-ever!
3. Nurse
AI may help with routine tasks like moving medical supplies and extracting patient data, but it cannot step up to the plate and deliver face-to-face interactions that are so much an essential part of a nurse’s job. No robotic Florence Nightingales on the horizon anytime soon.
4. Psychiatrist
AI cannot possibly assume the role of a psychiatrist as it cannot listen to a patient’s problems and understand them on an emotional level. The world is facing a mental health crisis and psychiatrists play a very important role in helping people deal with such problems on account of their ability to help the latter navigate their feelings and emotional responses. This is something that is beyond the pale of AI’s abilities.
5. Lawyer
While AI has made inroads into the world of law, it cannot possibly step in to take the place of lawyers. AI does not possess any innate sense of ethics, which renders it incapable of stepping in for a lawyer well-versed in morals, ethics and knowledge of the law.
The path ahead?
AI is a revolutionary technology that promises to reshape human destiny in the same way that the harnessing of fire or the discovery of the wheel did. We are in the nascent stage of this seismic change in human destiny and one cannot predict where it takes us. But we will inevitably have to go along-hopefully for a better future for mankind.
Summary
AI's Impact on Jobs
- AI will automate many jobs, replacing some entirely and assisting others.
- Estimates suggest millions of jobs could be lost by 2030, but new ones will be created by AI as well.
- Developing countries may be less affected by job losses but miss out on economic benefits of AI.
Concerns about AI
- AI bias could disadvantage certain groups if not carefully developed and implemented.
- Some jobs are more at risk than others, such as: Computer programmers (due to generative AI); Research analysts (due to AI's data processing abilities); Customer service representatives (replaced by chatbots); Paralegals (AI can handle legal research and reports); Graphic designers (AI can create professional visuals)
Jobs Likely Safe from AI
- Jobs requiring human creativity, ingenuity, and emotional intelligence are less at risk, such as: Artists (AI can't replicate human artistic expression); Writers (AI can't replace human storytelling ability); Nurses (human interaction is crucial in nursing); Psychiatrists (AI can't understand emotions like humans); Lawyers (AI lacks the ethical understanding needed)
The Future of AI and Jobs
- AI is a transformative technology, and its impact on jobs is still unfolding.
- We need to prepare for the changes AI brings and ensure it benefits everyone.
[3] https://www.techopedia.com/inclusive-ai-why-we-all-need-to-care
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