With complex computer algorithms driving marketing tools, completing administrative tasks, developing computer code, and now even creating art, workers everywhere fear their jobs will be next on the chopping block.
It is tempting to dismiss this as misplaced technological panic, yet it may be too early to shrug off the threat. Just how concerned should professionals be about the amount of AI-dominated jobs just around the corner?
Approximately half of employees are afraid they will be replaced by AI, according to a recent Microsoft-commissioned survey that polled over 30,000 global workers on the topic. The survey also found 82% of leaders say their employees will need new skills to prepare for the growth of AI.
The pressure is on. Already we see chatbots and intelligent virtual agents popping up in customer service pipelines. Customers may never again get what they desperately want – to speak to an actual human.
The technology has the potential not so much to eliminate human jobs as much as make them much easier. Algorithms could accelerate output, streamline processes, and ultimately free human workers up to engage in greater creativity and, when needed, exercise their emotional intuition and well-reasoned judgment.
As Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella says, “This new generation of AI will remove the drudgery of work and unleash creativity. There’s an enormous opportunity for AI-powered tools to help alleviate digital debt, build AI aptitude, and empower employees.”