Written by: Sandra Malu
The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is on the rise, and its consequences for employment are even more vast now. On the one hand, AI is creating new job positions that have not existed before. On the other hand, it is threatening the jobs of employees whose tasks can be replaced by technologies.
Over the past few years, AI has become more and more integrated into all areas of our daily existence and began to influence employment. Although new job opportunities can be generated through advances in technology, such involvement also poses a risk to employment since human activities can be automated. AI is steadily gaining a strong position in many spheres of our lives, including healthcare, finance, production, and customer service. It is within this kind of change that much attention is being given at the national level since on a hand it is capable of creating employment while on the other hand it is capable of eradicating employment. The topic revolves around familiarizing oneself with how AI affects employment, workers' skills, and employment ratios.
AI is expected to revolutionize the employment market by replacing most jobs that involve repetitive tasks while introducing new professions that demand technological literacy. This shift is especially evident in manufacturing, logistics, and customer service industries, where AI-enabled automation grows more popular. In the world of work, artificial intelligence will be marked by repetitive mechanical jobs' disappearance, as well as the emergence of new roles tied to AI. " Therefore, flexibility and learning will also be the solution." Workforce development specialists agree with these statements, noting that AI will change jobs, eradicating some positions and creating new ones related to technology. " Education and training are essential and cannot be underestimated or overemphasized," one specialist pointed out. In sum, employment in the future will depend on the ability of workers to train for new skills to meet the demands of an economy with advanced, powerful smart systems.
Image 1: An AI-driven machinery working alongside human operators.
It is predicted that industries with many routine processes will bear the brunt of the impact of AI. An AI researcher concluded, "Among these, manufacturing, logistics, and customer service are likely most affected because they contain many simple tasks that robots could easily handle. Healthcare and finance also became influenced by AI." Out of all industries, manufacturing and retail are expected to face the most significant impact of automation because their work processes mainly consist of repetitive tasks that artificial intelligence can easily automate. However, other economic sectors like health and education will also experience drastic changes. The manufacturing and retail sectors will be most affected, while workforce development will also notice convergence in the healthcare and education systems due to the integration of Artificial Intelligence. These changes will require adjusting what jobs are expected to be done by whom and where, with implications across sectors pointing to the constant need to learn in the age of AI.
Image 2: AI technology being used in a healthcare setting
The best strategy for workers to thrive in the industry today is to ensure that they keep learning, especially in areas that artificial intelligence cannot master. “Emphasize getting expert knowledge in numerous areas and train the employees to continuously develop themselves, particularly in problem-solving, idea generation, and emerging technologies such as data science and cybersecurity," noted an AI researcher. Workforce development workers also advise that people should continue learning and improving in digital skills to deal with such changes. The authors proposed the following recommendations: workers should continuously train, pay attention to digital competence, and consider sectoral, interprofessional links that connect AI with other fields. In light of flexibility as the main theme, all the scholars concur that updating one's skill sets and becoming aware of the latest technologies will be vital to remain relevant in the ever-changing employment sector.
Image 3: Workers participating in a training session
Current research and those related to workforce development show that the future workforce will likely experience job specifications and demands changes. It is, therefore important for industries and individuals to involve in continuous learning and become flexible given the rapid development of technology in the current society. AI is expected to change jobs; some may disappear, whereas new ones will emerge in technology sectors; thus, Education and Skill Development will become important in such a scenario. However, in my opinion, the effect of AI technology on employment is both a strength and a weakness. On the one hand, AI can increase efficiency and lead to more employment, especially in new markets.
On the other hand, it is detrimental to the workers in repetitive tasks that they perform repeatedly. This dual effect calls for increased precaution from the working population and institutions alike. The secret to success in a rapidly filled world with AI is permanent education and the ability to change. Employees need to take responsibility for themselves to attain new competencies, especially the ones that cannot be easily mechanized, like problem-solving skills, innovativeness, and interpersonal skills. Also, special emphasis should be placed on STEM and digital competence education to be ready for an artificial intelligence world economy. One must invest in continuous learning and emphasize the importance of digital skills.
In the future, I imagine more symbiosis between people and artificially intelligent machines: The latter perform clerical and mechanical work, while the former resolve and create. Therefore, educational institutions, employers, and policymakers need to develop a way of ensuring that these workers are adequately trained. Through this synergy, the employees shall be well poised to be ready to work in a future job market and take advantage of the opportunities offered by AI. Such changes show that workers can be proactive and adapt to changes in the future to remain relevant in the employment market. Thus, orientations for continuous learning, acquiring new skills, and cooperation strategies will play a significant role in dealing with the AI-filled world of work.
Image 4: Employees are using AI tools
Undoubtedly, the incorporation of AI will bring substantial and long-term changes to the workforce. All authorities, ranging from AI researchers to experts in workforce development, have pointed out that flexibility, lifelong learning, and skill upgrades will be critically important in the context of the AI-enabled work environment. To this effect, workers need to prepare for these changes so they do not become redundant in the new employment layouts.
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