The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation is a story of both risk and opportunity, particularly when we consider the future of jobs.
In its “2023 Generative AI Impact Forecast” [PDF] report, IT research firm Forrester has highlighted the expanding reach of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation in the US employment landscape. Analyzing multiple AI technologies beyond generative AI, the report predicts a 0.6% drop in US jobs annually until 2030. Job replacement, however, is not uniformly distributed across the workforce.
However, the expansion of AI doesn’t equate to direct job losses, and all forms of automation are set to influence the future of work even more broadly.
Primarily, AI is predicted to have more impact on roles demanding academic or professional expertise. To put it into perspective, generative AI is likely to affect those earning over $90,000 per year more than those earning less than $60,000 annually.
The report suggests a daunting 78% of legal occupations could be rendered obsolete by 2023, with science researchers and administrative roles following closely—61% and 57%, respectively.
So, office jobs requiring years of knowledge and experience could see some dramatic alterations.
Interestingly, automation steps in favorably for jobs that have consistently been challenging to fill. Physical robotics and automation technologies are just starting to close the workforce gaps in the frontline work that the 2020s faced.
This plays out strikingly different in scenarios where workers lose jobs they need, causing social challenges reminiscent of those experienced in the postindustrial Rust Belt.
Specific careers, like technical writers, research assistants in social sciences, proofreaders, text designers, and administrative workers, are particularly susceptible to being reshaped by artificial intelligence.
Forrester, suggests that the upcoming waves of change provided by AI give these workers time to prepare. Issues such as intellectual property rights, copyright, plagiarism, ethics, and the frequency of model updates need to be resolved before AI can fully integrate into these job sectors.
Interestingly, creative fields like journalism, poetry, and composition, are thought to be less likely to face replacement by AI.
Instead, creative professionals are more plausible to incorporate generative AI tools into their workflow, creating a partnership between human creativity and machine efficiency.
Forrester has studied AI’s job impact for almost a decade now. They found that 36% of the global workforce is concerned over job security due to automation within the next decade. But generative AI, known for its instant results, has been the most disruptive.
Beyond the Present, Into the Future
Although generative AI accounts for a significant fraction of emerging automation, it’s far from the sole player. It’s set to account for 9.3% of jobs lost by 2023, with the figure rising to 30.4% by 2030.
Even as these massive transitions loom, it’s crucial to remember that automation doesn’t necessarily spell doom. In several cases, especially where jobs are less sought-after or where there’s a labor shortage, automation and robotics form a practical remedy.
With AI predicted to alter the job landscape substantially, companies are advised to discern which roles stand to benefit most from automation.
They should also invest in equipping employees with skills needed to refine AI software inputs. By doing so, the integration of generative AI into daily operations can be made seamless, thus balancing efficiency and job preservation.
This will ensure that generative AI is integrated smoothly into the business’s operations, preserving job positions while enhancing efficiencies.
As we dive deep into a future woven by AI, only time will tell if it ends up replacing human workers or empowering them in their roles.
Nonetheless, embracing change and adapting to evolving technologies are key in this progressing era and future of artificial intelligence and automation.
