The sixth AI Connect II webinar, featuring a keynote by Saadia Zahidi, managing director at the World Economic Forum, examined the future of the job market as artificial intelligence advances. Zahidi noted that 23 percent of current jobs will undergo significant changes within the next four years, with 69 million new roles emerging in specialized fields like AI, engineering, and education, alongside a decline in clerical positions. Critical skills such as analytical thinking, creative thinking, and tech literacy will become increasingly vital, as 44 percent of workers’ skills face disruption by 2027. However, a significant gap remains in access to adequate training, with only half of workers currently able to access the necessary opportunities for upskilling to utilize new AI tools. Upskilling the labor force to use AI to augment, rather than replace, human labor is necessary to ensure a future of work that is human-centric.
In a panel discussion moderated by Trisha Ray, associate director and resident fellow at the Atlantic Council GeoTech Center, experts provided insights into how organizations are integrating AI. Ben Armstrong, executive director at MIT’s Industrial Performance Center, noted that while AI can assist in tasks like customer service, it often results in more hiring as companies need human oversight and maintenance. Mary Beech, director of workers and technology policy, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy in the US Department of Labor, emphasized the importance of protecting worker rights during AI integration, citing the US Department of Labor’s AI Principles, which aim to ensure fair compensation and non-discrimination in AI-driven processes.
Anderson Criativo, CEO and co-founder of ONOVO Lab, compared the current impact of AI to the effects of cloud computing. He stated that while generative AI is transformative, it remains primarily assistive. Criativo highlighted how startups are leveraging AI to innovate and solve problems faster, particularly in developing countries where new technologies offer hope to address longstanding issues. He noted that in environments where problems are deeply ingrained, AI provides opportunities for rapid solutions that might otherwise take decades to achieve.
PeiChin Tay, senior policy advisor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, discussed the unique challenges AI poses to Asia’s informal labor markets, where many workers are engaged in microtasks that do not align with their qualifications and can be detrimental to their mental health. AI’s potential to displace jobs in these sectors is significant, with predictions that upwards of 20% of jobs in the Philippines and 10% of jobs in India could be lost.
The panel concluded with a discussion on global perspectives on AI, noting a stark contrast between the optimism in the Global South and the more cautious outlook in the Global North, particularly in the United States and Europe. The optimism in developing regions is driven by the hope that AI can solve persisting problems and create opportunities that were previously unimaginable. The panel emphasized the need for a balanced approach to trust and skepticism in AI to ensure that its integration benefits both workers and businesses globally, focusing on inclusive growth and worker protection.
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Related resources
Learn more from the resources referenced in AI Connect II webinar 6:
US Department of Labor AI Principles: https://www.dol.gov/general/AI-Principles
World Economic Forum Why there will be plenty of jobs in the future – even with artificial intelligence: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2024/02/artificial-intelligence-ai-jobs-future/
MIT Future of Work newsletter: mitgenerationai.substack.com
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