It’s no surprise to anyone that Artificial intelligence (AI) integration into the workplace is ramping up. Along with this, there are increased concerns about its impact on employment. However, the concern about being replaced by AI varies by race, gender, education, and social class.
There are different perspectives on AI’s impact on the workplace. To understand the impact, a recent survey in Sage Journals examined actual job loss and concerns about potential job loss.
The historical view of AI’s impact on job loss is called the displacement view, where AI will replace humans and lead to widespread unemployment. This view is rooted in past blue-collar concerns about advancements in automation.
A newer view is called AI exceptionalism. It suggests that the newest iteration of AI is unique in that it automates cognitive tasks and impacts white-collar jobs. Within AI exceptionalism, a strong viewpoint believes AI will fully replace white-collar workers. There is also a weak viewpoint that believes the AI tools coming to market will be used disproportionately by white-collar workers.
Related to the AI exceptionalism view is the idea of a complementary view. This variation suggests that AI will enhance human work instead of replacing it. It argues that AI will replace some jobs, but will also create other new jobs. This view may be informed by history as we have seen in every major technology advancement that more new jobs are created than the jobs that are lost.
The study also found that AI’s impacts are likely to be uneven across different social and occupational groups. Factors like race, gender, education, and social class shape their view of AI. For example, people in uncertain, low-wage roles with limited protections, which disproportionately affects women, people of color, and those with lower income and education levels, have a higher level of concern even if they have not yet been directly impacted. The lived experiences of marginalized workers make them more likely to view AI as a threat to their employment.
The survey found that 12.6% of respondents reported losing a job to AI, while just over half were concerned about losing their job to AI in the future. The survey results supported the AI exceptionalism point of view.
Respondents who lost jobs to AI were more likely to be from non-routine cognitive occupations, had technical expertise related to engineering or computers, and had roles that involved regularly changing tasks.
While these people may have lost their jobs to AI, this is not to suggest they are being replaced by AI. Temporary job loss differs from sustained unemployment. Workers with AI-related skills may be able to find new jobs relatively quickly in the expanding AI job market.
While the data indicates that people of color, low-income workers, and young adults are more concerned, it’s important to remember that the study relied on respondents’ subjective evaluations of the reason for their job loss and couldn’t account for the length of unemployment after their job loss.
The labor market is constantly evolving, and job mobility will continue to look different in the coming years, meaning the true impact of AI on jobs will be difficult to forecast. The gap between actual job loss and concerns about the potential for job loss will likely remain wide for the foreseeable future. As AI capabilities continue expanding, proactively addressing issues of bias, transparency, and equitable access to opportunities will be essential to ensure the benefits of AI are broadly shared across society.
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