With the rapid advancements in technology, the fear of job loss is palpable. But is this the whole truth for artificial intelligence and automation? Jasmine Virhia and Ariela Kleinberg Shveid write that these technologies can potentially bring a big benefit to workers: enhanced workplace inclusion.
The city of Tokyo gained a robot-run restaurant in 2021. Upon hearing this, you would be justified in asking, “how does this help our current population or create more jobs, when you could have human cashiers, bartenders, and waiters?” The catch with the Dawn Avatar Robot Cafe is that it is run by people with disabilities, who are otherwise unable to work. In the process of using robots, this café not only created new jobs but also paved the way for a future of inclusive employment where anyone can work.
The changes brought about by AI and automation are moving along at a fast clip. Throughout history, we’ve experienced other moments of significant changes due to technological advancements. The Industrial Revolution, which started in the 1700s and ended in the 19th century, transformed our production methods.
The same is happening now. If we don’t improve our processes, become more efficient and keep up with the changes, our civilisation may struggle to thrive. We don’t want to get left behind without the proper skills or knowledge. Even when we embrace technology and its help in creating more efficient work with automation and AI, we must also teach future generations the soft and cognitive skills that are now in demand, so they won’t get left behind with skills that can be done or achieved by a robot.
Is there reason to fear a total loss of jobs? Oxford researchers Carl Benedikt Frey and Michael Osborne studied 702 jobs, such as paralegals, accountants, telemarketers and taxi drivers and found a risk that 47 per cent of them can be replaced by automation. However, that doesn’t mean that they will be replaced by generative AI or that these workers will be left without job opportunities.
Generative AI in the present can only do what it is taught to do with existing examples. Automation will take away part of those jobs, because you can program a machine to do it, instead of having to hire someone and pay them. But the use of AI and automation will create more job opportunities by enabling a segment of the population previously considered unable to work to enter the workforce.
Examples
We have already seen that a Japanese restaurant employs people with disabilities who can work remotely. And we have more examples showing that generative AI and automation can bring broader inclusion into existing jobs. The business software company Inuit used the program Writer’s API to develop a bot that analyses workplace communications and suggests more inclusive language. This creates a safe space to learn and improve.
Even if jobs like cashiers and waiters could be lost to AI and automation, technology can create more job opportunities and pave the way for a more inclusive workforce. In the area of talent management, generative AI can be used to make job candidate screenings unbiased, or as a tool to create job applications that use inclusive language, and even by helping firms target segments of the population that are a minority for the job.
Generative AI is a work in progress, and we are just beginning to see its potential impact in our lives. Something similar happened when the internet was developed. Everybody thought that it would be the end of many industries and jobs, but that wasn’t the case. The internet created a new world, and with this came new jobs: digital editors, influencers, programmers, media engineers and web designers.
It’s the same now with AI, when we are witnessing the creation of jobs such as prompt engineer, AI researcher, natural language process expert, robotic process automation expert, and algorithm auditor. These are only the early ones. With the growth of companies across all fields embracing AI, we can expect many more jobs to be created. A study by the World Economic Forum found that by 2025, 85 million jobs will have been replaced by machines, but 97 million new ones will emerge that are more suited to this new machine-human workplace.
We are not blind to the potential negative impacts of technology on society, job displacement being one of them. Although AI may create new jobs and potentially foster greater inclusion in the workforce, it might take years for companies to embrace the technology. Even when they do, they might choose not to employ human workers because it will probably be cheaper to use machines. We need to evolve, keep up to date with technology and create a better way to promote inclusion. Citizens in every country must urge regulators to ensure that job opportunities are preserved. Regulations will ensure that the benefits of AI and automation are shared by all, not just a few.
In conclusion, the rise of AI and automation will transform the job market, and with this change come both opportunities and risks. Embracing AI and automation is essential for progress, but it must be balanced with advocacy for responsible use and regulation. This will help ensure that technological advancements in AI and automation lead to a more inclusive and fairer workforce, rather than one marked by job displacement. A culture of adaptability and resilience, allied with policies that protect all workers, can create a future where technology is a tool for collective progress and equity.
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- This blog post represents the views of the author(s), not the position of LSE Business Review or the London School of Economics and Political Science.
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