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AI could 'turn good jobs into bad jobs'—3 labor historians on what the future of work might hold

Generative AI tools like ChatGPT could potentially change the nature of certain jobs, breaking them down into smaller, less skilled roles and potentially leading to job degradation and lower pay, while also creating new job opportunities. The impact of generative AI on the workforce is uncertain, but it is important for workers to advocate for better conditions and be prepared for potential changes.

cnbc.com
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Generative AI is unlikely to completely take over jobs, but rather automate certain tasks, particularly in clerical work, potentially impacting female employment; however, most other professions are only marginally exposed to automation, with the technology more likely to augment work rather than substitute it, according to a study by the International Labour Organization.
Google DeepMind is evaluating the use of generative AI tools to act as a personal life coach, despite previous cautionary warnings about the risks of emotional attachment to chatbots.
AI tools like ChatGPT are likely to complement jobs rather than destroy them, according to a study by the International Labor Organization (ILO), which found that the technology will automate some tasks within occupations while leaving time for other duties, potentially offering benefits for developing nations, though the impact may differ significantly for men and women. The report emphasizes the importance of proactive policies, workers' opinions, skills training, and adequate social protection in managing the transition to AI.
Over half of participants using AI at work experienced a 30% increase in productivity, and there are beginner-friendly ways to integrate generative AI into existing tools such as GrammarlyGo, Slack apps like DailyBot and Felix, and Canva's AI-powered design tools.
Generative AI models like ChatGPT are expected to augment job roles rather than replace them, according to an IBM study, with executives estimating that 40% of their workforce will need to reskill in the next three years due to AI implementation. The study also found that tech adopters who successfully reskill experience a 15% revenue growth rate premium on average and a 36% higher revenue growth rate for those focusing on AI. The new skill paradigm prioritizes people skills like team management and effective communication.
Hollywood studios are considering the use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, to assist in screenwriting, but concerns remain regarding copyright protection for works solely created by AI, as they currently are not copyrightable.
Generative AI is not going to replace SEO jobs, but it will change the industry and require adaptation, particularly in prompt customization and the evolution of links. Technical SEOs may have an advantage in handling these changes, and generative AI can save time on content creation. However, careful application and consideration of biases are necessary when using generative AI.
Companies are adopting Generative AI technologies, such as Copilots, Assistants, and Chatbots, but many HR and IT professionals are still figuring out how these technologies work and how to implement them effectively. Despite the excitement and potential, the market for Gen AI is still young and vendors are still developing solutions.
As professors consider how to respond to the use of AI, particularly ChatGPT, in the classroom, one professor argues that while it may be difficult to enforce certain policies, using AI can ultimately impoverish the learning experience and outsource one's inner life to a machine.
Artificial intelligence systems, specifically large language models like ChatGPT and Google's Bard, are changing the job landscape and now pose a threat to white-collar office jobs that require cognitive skills, creativity, and higher education, impacting highly paid workers, particularly women.
Some companies are hiring AI prompt engineers to help them optimize generative AI technology, but as the tech improves at understanding user prompts, these skills may become less necessary.
Generative AI, like ChatGPT, has the potential to revolutionize debates and interviews by leveling the field and focusing on content rather than debating skills or speaking ability.
AI technology, specifically generative AI, is being embraced by the creative side of film and TV production to augment the work of artists and improve the creative process, rather than replacing them. Examples include the use of procedural generation and style transfer in animation techniques and the acceleration of dialogue and collaboration between artists and directors. However, concerns remain about the potential for AI to replace artists and the need for informed decision-making to ensure that AI is used responsibly.
The use of AI tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT, is raising concerns about the creation of self-amplifying echo chambers of flawed information and the potential for algorithmic manipulation, leading to a polluted information environment and a breakdown of meaningful communication.
The surge in generative AI technology is revitalizing the tech industry, attracting significant venture capital funding and leading to job growth in the field.
Utah educators are concerned about the use of generative AI, such as ChatGPT, in classrooms, as it can create original content and potentially be used for cheating, leading to discussions on developing policies for AI use in schools.
Generative artificial intelligence and machine-learning technologies have the potential to significantly boost productivity and economic output, but knowledge workers will face challenges as the nature of work evolves.
OpenAI has released ChatGPT Enterprise, a version of its ChatGPT tool specifically designed for businesses, offering enterprise-grade security and privacy for businesses looking to leverage generative AI.
Generative AI, a technology with the potential to significantly boost productivity and add trillions of dollars to the global economy, is still in the early stages of adoption and widespread use at many companies is still years away due to concerns about data security, accuracy, and economic implications.
Generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion, raises legal questions related to data use, copyrights, patents, and privacy, leading to lawsuits and uncertainties that could slow down technology adoption.
Generative AI tools are revolutionizing the creator economy by speeding up work, automating routine tasks, enabling efficient research, facilitating language translation, and teaching creators new skills.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools, such as ChatGPT, have the potential to supercharge disinformation campaigns in the 2024 elections, increasing the quantity, quality, and personalization of false information distributed to voters, but there are limitations to their effectiveness and platforms are working to mitigate the risks.
Generative artificial intelligence, particularly large language models, has the potential to revolutionize various industries and add trillions of dollars of value to the global economy, according to experts, as Chinese companies invest in developing their own AI models and promoting their commercial use.
Generative AI tools are causing concerns in the tech industry as they produce unreliable and low-quality content on the web, leading to issues of authorship, incorrect information, and potential information crisis.
The decision of The Guardian to prevent OpenAI from using its content for training ChatGPT is criticized for potentially limiting the quality and integrity of information used by generative AI models.
Generative AI models like ChatGPT can produce personalized medical advice, but they often generate inaccurate information, raising concerns about their reliability and potential harm. However, as AI technology advances, it has the potential to complement doctor consultations and improve healthcare outcomes by providing thorough explanations and synthesizing multiple data sources. To ensure responsible progress, patient data security measures, regulatory frameworks, and extensive training for healthcare professionals are necessary.
Using AI tools like ChatGPT to write smart contracts and build cryptocurrency projects can lead to more problems, bugs, and attack vectors, according to CertiK's security chief, Kang Li, who believes that inexperienced programmers may create catastrophic design flaws and vulnerabilities. Additionally, AI tools are becoming more successful at social engineering attacks, making it harder to distinguish between AI-generated and human-generated messages.
Generative AI is most popular among Gen Z and millennials, with the majority of users stating that it is transforming their lives and they are quickly learning to use it; however, there is a clear divide between generations and employment status, with slower adoption among Gen X and baby boomers, and concerns about the impact on their lives and data security being the main reasons for hesitation.
Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are rapidly being adopted in the financial services industry, with major investment banks like JP Morgan and Morgan Stanley developing AI models and chatbots to assist financial advisers and provide personalized investment advice, although challenges such as data limitations and ethical concerns need to be addressed.
Researchers have admitted to using a chatbot to help draft an article, leading to the retraction of the paper and raising concerns about the infiltration of generative AI in academia.
The rise of generative AI is driving a surge in freelance tech jobs, with job postings and searches related to AI increasing on platforms like LinkedIn, Upwork, and Fiverr, indicating a growing demand for AI experts.
Generative AI can help small businesses manage their social media presence, personalize customer service, streamline content creation, identify growth opportunities, optimize scheduling and operations, enhance decision-making, revolutionize inventory management, transform supply chain management, refine employee recruitment, accelerate design processes, strengthen data security, and introduce predictive maintenance systems, ultimately leading to increased productivity, cost savings, and overall growth.
Generative artificial intelligence, such as ChatGPT, is increasingly being used by students and professors in education, with some finding it helpful for tasks like outlining papers, while others are concerned about the potential for cheating and the quality of AI-generated responses.
Companies that deploy generative artificial intelligence without upskilling their employees risk leaving them behind and causing significant costs, according to PwC's Tim Ryan, who emphasizes the need for training and support to ensure that workers can adapt to the technology rather than fearing it will eliminate their jobs. He believes that AI is an evolution, not a revolution, and that it will shift the roles of employees rather than replacing them entirely. Transparency and clear communication from CEOs and leaders about the adoption of AI are crucial for reassuring employees and helping them stay relevant.
AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT, should be viewed as essential tools in education that can help students understand challenging subjects, offer feedback on writing, generate ideas, and refine critical thinking skills, as long as they are incorporated thoughtfully and strategically into curriculums.
The Delhi High Court has ruled that ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence tool, cannot be used to settle legal issues due to varying responses depending on how queries are framed, highlighting the potential for biased answers; however, experts suggest that AI can still assist in administrative tasks within the adjudication process.
Conversational AI and generative AI are two branches of AI with distinct differences and capabilities, but they can also work together to shape the digital landscape by enabling more natural interactions and creating new content.
AI technology, particularly generative language models, is starting to replace human writers, with the author of this article experiencing firsthand the impact of AI on his own job and the writing industry as a whole.
Artificial intelligence chatbots, such as ChatGPT, generally outperformed humans in a creative divergent thinking task, although humans still had an advantage in certain areas and objects, highlighting the complexities of creativity.
Generative artificial intelligence has the potential to disrupt traditional production workflows, according to Marco Tempest of MIT Media Lab, who believes that this technology is not limited to technologists but can be utilized by creatives to enhance their work and eliminate mundane tasks. Companies like Avid, Adobe, and Blackmagic Design are developing AI-driven tools for filmmakers while addressing concerns about job displacement by emphasizing the role of AI in fostering creativity and automating processes. Guardrails and ethical considerations are seen as necessary, but AI is not expected to replace human creativity in storytelling.
The era of intelligence driven by artificial intelligence is changing the landscape of human resources, allowing employees to access and utilize information more easily and quickly through generative AI language models, but HR teams need to be ready to help employees take advantage of this new technology.
Generative AI is expected to have a significant impact on jobs, with some roles benefiting from enhanced job quality and growth, while others face disruption and a shift in required skills, according to a report from the World Economic Forum. The integration of AI into the workforce brings mixed reactions but emphasizes the need for proactive measures to maximize benefits and minimize risks. Additionally, the report highlights the importance of a balanced workforce that values both technical AI skills and people skills for future success.
The future of AI chatbots is likely to involve less generic and more specialized models, as organizations focus on training data that is relevant to specific industries or areas, but the growing costs of gathering training data for large language models pose a challenge. One potential solution is the use of synthetic data, generated by AI, although this approach comes with its own set of problems such as accuracy and bias. As a result, the AI landscape may shift towards the development of many specific little language models tailored to specific purposes, utilizing feedback from experts within organizations to improve performance.
White-collar workers, particularly those in software development, information technology, mathematics, information design, legal, and accounting positions, are at the highest risk of job displacement due to the rise of generative AI, with 95% of the skills required for these jobs being effectively performed by AI, according to research from Indeed. Jobs such as truck and taxi drivers, as well as cleaning and sanitation and beauty and wellness jobs, are considered least exposed to AI due to their reliance on in-person presence.
The advent of generative AI (gen AI) is transforming the future of work, requiring companies to embrace the technology and adapt to the deep and lasting changes it will bring, including job automation and the need for reskilling and upskilling in certain occupations, according to a report from McKinsey. The impact of gen AI will be significant, affecting both lower-wage and higher-wage jobs, but it also presents opportunities for job augmentation and the growth of higher-paying roles. Additionally, investments in infrastructure renewal and the pursuit of net-zero climate goals will create new jobs while displacing others, necessitating transitions and upskilling efforts. It is crucial to ensure that the future of work is inclusive and does not disadvantage traditionally marginalized groups, and targeted reskilling and upskilling programs, public-private partnerships, and skills-based hiring can help address these challenges.
The use of generative AI poses risks to businesses, including the potential exposure of sensitive information, the generation of false information, and the potential for biased or toxic responses from chatbots. Additionally, copyright concerns and the complexity of these systems further complicate the landscape.